Beetroot Icecream

On Thursday night I attempted home grown beetroot icecream (recipe below). We grew a bunch of different heirloom beet varieties and harvested on Thursday. Some were bright red outside, but very pale inside (just a different variety to what you buy in the supermarket).  Boiled them (we took the skin off first, next time we'll leave it on and remove after they are cooked). Once cooked, we decided to only use the really ruby ones, as the joy of beetroot icecream has to be the colour...doesn't it? Puree beet once cooked and squishy.

12 home grown egg yolks beaten together with 150g caster sugar, scalded the milk, let it cool, then beat into the eggy mix.

Then into a fresh pan to turn into custard:

Poured into a large flat tray, covered with greaseproof paper to stop a skin forming on top, then bung in the fridge until chilled. Mix in the cream and beet puree, then push it through a sieve.

 

How's that colour!!?? Bung it in the icecream machine and churn til frozen. The finished mix was too large for my icecream machine which has a 1.5L capacity.

 

 

Beetroot Icecream - (for those playing at home)

Ingredients

• 12 x organic egg yolks
• 150g unrefined caster sugar
• 500ml whole milk
• 500ml double cream
• 5-6 medium beetroots, cooked until al dente, peeled and pureed

1. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together until smooth. Put the milk in a pan and bring to just below boiling, then remove from the heat. Leave to cool slightly, then pour the milk on to the egg and sugar mixture, whisking all the time.

2. Pour the mixture in to a clean pan and heat gently, stirring all the time, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Don't let it get too hot or it will split. Remove from the heat. Strain through a sieve and leave to cool, then chill, covered with a circle of greaseproof paper to prevent a skin forming.
3. When cold, stir in the cream and beetroot puree. Pass through a fine sieve. Churn the mixture in an ice cream maker until frozen.
4. Depending on the capacity of your ice cream maker, you may need to churn the mixture in batches, or you could simply halve the quantities.

(Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall!)