Serves 4-6


Ingredients:

5 lavender flower sprigs
2½ cup (550ml) milk
¾ cup (175g) lavender honey
4 egg yolks
⅔ cup (150ml) double (heavy) cream
⅔ cup (150ml) yogurt
lavender flowers, to decorate


Method:

• Turn freezer to its coldest setting. In a saucepan, heat lavender sprigs and milk to almost boiling. Remove from heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Remove lavender sprigs and bring milk to the boil.
• In a small saucepan, heat honey until just melted. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks until thick and light. Gradually add melted honey. Pour boiling milk onto egg yolk mixture, beating constantly. Pour mixture into a bowl set over a pan of boiling water. Stir for about 8 minutes until custard will coat the back of the spoon. Strain into a bowl, cover and leave to cool. Stir in cream and yogurt.
• Pour mixture into an 850ml freezerproof container. Put in freezer. When sides are beginning to set, beat thoroughly. Return to freezer and repeat after 30-40 minutes. When ice cream is just beginning to solidify, beat vigorously to a smooth slush. Return to freezer. Transfer from freezer to refrigerator 20 minutes before serving. Decorate with lavender flowers.

Serves 6


Ingredients:

2L vanilla ice-cream
1 egg
1 cup flour
¾ cup water
1½ cup fine dry breadcrumbs
2 tbsp desicated coconut
5 cup deep-frying oil


Method:

1. Make 6 large scoops of ice-cream. Return to the freezer.
2. Make a thick batter of egg, flour and water. Coat ice-cream balls with the batter, then roll in the breadcrumbs and coconut to coat thickly. Return to the freezer to freeze for several days.
3. Heat the oil to moderately hot. Slide in one ice-cream ball at a time to cook for a few seconds until the surface is golden. Remove and serve at once with caramel topping or fresh fruit.

Note: It is crucial that the ice-cream is solidly frozen and that the oil is sufficiently hot to seal and cook the surface coconut in just a few seconds.

4 servings


Ingredients:

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 handfuls pecan nuts
1 quart good quality vanilla ice cream
Maple syrup


Method:

• Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Mix the icing sugar with the pecans on a baking tray and sprinkle with a little water to make a thickish paste.
• Bake in the oven for a few minutes or until toasted and caramelized. Scoop out the ice cream into 4 glasses or bowls and sprinkle over the whole pecans then drizzle with a good glug of maple syrup.

Serves 4


Ingredients:

1 cup (250ml) cream
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
1 tbsp Kahlua
8 scoops coffee ice cream
150g packet almond biscotti, chopped
⅓ cup (50g) Vienna almonds, chopped


Method:

• Whisk the cream and sugar in a large bowl until the cream has thickened slightly. Add the Kahlua and whisk again until well mixed together.
• Place one scoop of the ice cream in each of four parfaits glasses or 1½ cup (375ml) glass tumblers. Divide half of the chopped biscotti among the glasses, then add 1½ tbsp of the Kahlua-cream mixture.
• Top with the remaining biscotti, 1½ tbsp of the cream mixture and a final scoop of the ice cream. Sprinkle with the chopped Vienna almonds and serve immediately before the ice cream melts.

Nutrition per serve:
Protein 7g;
Fat 45;
Carbohydrate 42g;
Dietary Fibre 1.5g;
Cholesterol 111mg;
2512 kj (600 cal)

Note: The traditional French parfait is flavoured with coffee, but it is now made with chocolate, fruit, vanilla, liqueurs and even praline.