Classic Chocolate Ice Cream

When food blogging I am conscious of hyperbole, and try to use it sparingly. On this occasion, I simply cannot restrain myself - this is the best chocolate ice cream ever! It is rich, decadent, and oh so velvety... almost too good to share! I admit, I do hesitate when serving this to guests at home.. I think it's my inner ice cream demon saying "No! It's mine!" To counter the demon's taunts, I make sure I have a stash of this ice cream in the freezer at all times :) Then everyone's happy!

This is an adapted recipe from the instruction booklet that came with my Sunbeam 'Snowy'. In don't usually try recipes that come in appliances' instruction manuals, but I have found these recipes to be very reliable. This makes approx. 1 L and there's no telling how long it will last...

Ingredients
1 cup full cream milk
2 cups double cream
150 g dark chocolate (I used Lindt 70% cocoa)
4 egg yolks
130 g caster sugar

Method
1. Stir milk, cream and chocolate in a saucepan over a medium heat until the chocolate melts; increase heat and almost bring to the boil.
2. In a large bowl whisk egg yolks and sugar until well combined. The mixture should become creamy and pale in colour, as depicted below.

3. Slowly whisk hot chocolate mixture into yolk mixture until well combined.

4. Place the bowl of a pot of simmering water (water not touching the bowl), and cook over a low heat until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon.

5. Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool before covering and placing in the fridge to chill for several hours.
6. Churn in ice cream machine for about 30 minutes then transfer to a container and place in the freezer.
7. To serve, transfer to the fridge about 20 minutes prior to serving.

If you don't own an ice cream machine, I would recommend considering getting one. You really can't compare homemade ice cream to the bought stuff... It's superb! Hand on heart, getting an ice cream machine is probably the best $50 I have ever spent. Again, sorry about the hyperbole, but it's true!!!


Ladybird x

Barmuda Café, Newtown

Barmuda Café in Newtown holds a special place in my heart. I'm being soppy, I know.. But let me tell the story!

A couple of years ago I visited the café for the first time during a trip to Sydney with Mr Ladybird. At the time we were living in Brisbane and thinking about heading south to make a fresh start in a new city.

During our trip we were staying in Australia St, Newtown and were looking for a place to enjoy a good coffee and some breeakfast. We quickly stumbled upon Barmuda Café and the smells of fresh coffee and breakfast invited us inside.

It was during our first breakfast together at Barmuda that we seriously discussed the possibility of moving to Sydney. Maybe it was the diverse vibe of Newtown that attracted me. Or maybe it was the ambience of the cafe. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the taste of these ricotta hotcakes that sweetened the prospect. At any rate, we decided that a move to Sydney would be a very good idea... And so I now fondly refer to these Ricotta Hotcakes as.. The Life Changing Hotcakes. A big call, I know, but it's not that far-fetched! Beside the life changing factor, they are very nice, with oozy blobs of soft ricotta throughout...

Ricotta Hotcakes with Berry Compote and Maple Syrup

So now that we live in Sydney, we try to make it back to Barmuda occasionally. Unfortunately, the Newtown traffic and parking situation is a slight deterrent, but I'm always glad when we return.

Lattés

Mr Ladybird enjoyed his favourite cooked breakfast with all the trimmings... including a fantastic, crunchy potato cake (far better than any processed hashbrown out there!)

Planet Newtown

Mr Ladybird got to catch up on his World Cup reading over coffee , and I was happy to watch Newtown locals going about their day and take some photos. Check out this adorable little boy and his puppy :)

All in all a nice breakfast on a (at long last!) sunny winter morning at one of my favourite cafés in Sydney's inner west.
 
I forgot to take note of the prices of our coffees and dishes. However as an estimate, coffees are average price (about $3.50). Breakfast dishes are between $10 to $15.
 
Barmuda
283 Australia St
Newtown
(02) 9516 3341
 
 


Ladybird x

Pavlova with cream & macerated berries

Until very recently, I was adamant I would *hate* pavlova for the rest of my life. I resigned to the fact that I'd be ridiculed by my fellow Australians and would probably be told how
"unaustralian" I am :P  I just couldn't stand the excessive sweetness and the claggy insides of purchased pavlovas whether they be from supermarkets or restaurants.

But what was I thinking?! That was before I experienced homemade pavlova. I was inspired to try making my own after watching the Donnay Hay challenge early on in Masterchef this season.

The great ballerina - Anna Pavlova.

Beautiful and delicate, just like the dessert named after her.

Ingredients

150 ml eggwhite (approximately 4 eggs)

1 c caster sugar, plus extra for the berries

2 tbsp cornflour (sifted)

2 tsp white vinegar

1 cup pure cream

200- 250 g mixed frozen berries (I used Creative Gourmet)

1 tsp icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees celcuis and prepare a baking tray lined with baking paper. Place an 18cm round baking tin on the dull side of the baking paper and draw a circle around it. Then flip it over with the shiny side up, and sprinkle a very fine amount of extra cornflour over the paper.

2. Place the eggwhites in a bowl and whisk to stiff peaks using an electric mixer.

3. Gradually add the sugar, whisking well, until the mixture is stiff and glossy.

4. Add the cornflour and vinegar and whisk until just combined.

5. Turn the mixture out onto the prepared tray and shape into a round using the marked circle as a guide.

6. Reduce the oven to 120 degree celcius and bake the pavlova for 1 hour 20 minutes.

7. Switch the oven off and allow the pavlova to cool completely.

8. Whisk the cream with a teaspoon of icing sugar until soft peaks form.

9. To prepare the berry mixture, combined the frozen berries and 2 teaspoons caster sugar in a small saucepan over very low heat and allow to soften slightly. This only takes a few minutes and ensures the sugar dissolves, and that the berries are not too tart on the palate. This process should not cook the berries, in fact, they should still be cold. Berries vary in tartness, so do taste and add a little more sugar if desired.

10. Sliding a large knife under the pavlova to ensure it is separated from the baking sheet, carefully transfer to your serving plate. Dress the cooled pavolva with cream and berries. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Messy goodness

Tips

- Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before you start.

- Add the sugar gradually by sprinkling teaspoonfuls of the sugar into the meringue. This should take about 10 minutes, so be patient...

The scene of the crime

The thing I enjoy about making pavlova is that it is a labour of love. You need to take care and patience to ensure you achieve the crisp shell and marshmallow-like interior, but it doesn't have to look perfect. As you can see, mine became rather messy... but I can guarantee you, there were no complaints! It was delicious :)

So tell me, readers, was there ever a dish that you disliked until you made it yourself?

Ladybird x