Our recipe for Sloe Armagnac Ice Cream came about after many experiments as I refused to simply throw the Armagnac soaked fruits away. The macerated Sloe Armagnac fruits after being strained off from the liquids are full of flavour and colour. After much experimentation, this is one of the recipes we invented that we love.
Using an Italian Gelato base and a syrup made from the discarded berries, the end result is a rich flavoursome ice-cream perfect on its own, with marinated fruits or puddings. I love it served over a chocolate sponge pudding. A favourite of Husbands was when I used the Sloe Armagnac ice cream as one of the layers in a chocolate ice-cream cake for our Great Gatsby party.
Naturally, serve it with a shot of your home-made Sloe Armagnac or other sloe based liquor. Recipe here.
Years ago we invested in a home ice-cream maker and it gets plenty of use here with our harvested fruits.
I have not tested this recipe for manual ice cream method. Make the ice cream/gelato base and syrup the day before you churn or freeze it. The colder your base, the smoother the result.
Prepare your Gelato base for Sloe Armagnac ice cream – makes 1 quart (1 litre)
Ingredients: US (metric)
2 cups (480 mls) Full cream/whole milk
1 cup (240 mls) heavy cream/double cream
4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup (150g) white sugar
Method:
In a heavy based saucepan, gently heat the combined milk and cream. Stir frequently to avoid a skin forming. Cream mixture will be ready when small bubbles appear around the edges and mixture reaches 170°F (77°C).
Meanwhile, in a heat proof bowl whisk your egg yolks until smooth and creamy. Whisk in the sugar gradually and keep whisking until the mixture is very thick and pale in colour. I use the whisk ball on my KitchenAid for this process.
Tempering the egg yolks requires a gentle hand. Whilst whisking continuously, gently and slowly pour the warmed milk mixture a little at a time into your egg and sugar mix. If you add it too quickly you will curdle the egg yolks.
Return the mixture to your saucepan and over a low heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. The ice-cream base is ready when it coats the back of the spoon and reaches a temperature of 185°F (85°C). DO NOT allow mixture to boil – it will curdle.
Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl to remove any lumps and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir every now and then to avoid a skin. Cover and refrigerate until cold (overnight).
You now have your Gelato base. Use it with any liquors or fruit syrups or simply add a split vanilla bean into the milk and cream warming process to produce wonderfully rich vanilla ice cream.
Sloe Armagnac syrup
Ingredients:
The strained berries fresh from your Sloe Armagnac or other sloe based liquor making process
A quantity of white sugar to amend resulting syrup to your taste – approx 1/4 cup (55g) per kilo of berries
Hot water – approx 1/4 cup (60mls) per kilo of berries
Method:
With your berries in a heavy based saucepan, sprinkle half of the suggested white sugar over them and add enough hot water to reach 1 inch (2.5cm) of liquid into the base of your saucepan.
Cover saucepan and gently bring the berries, water and sugar to the boil. I add a small portion of a cinnamon stick at this stage to infuse more flavour. However, like the Sloe Armagnac recipe variations, you may wish to experiment with other complimentary flavour notes or compliment any variation you have made.
Once bubbles start to form in the liquid base, reduce heat to bring mix to a slow simmer – you do not want to boil dry. Do not mash berries but stir gently folding them every now and then. You are not looking to produce a jam but simply to steam out remaining flavour of your berries. You need to produce approximately 1/2-3/4 cup (120-180mls) of syrup per quantity of ice-cream base.
After an hour or so, taste the syrup. Add more sugar to taste if syrup is not sweet to taste. Add a little more water if your liquid has reduced to the extent that your berries are at risk of catching on the base of your saucepan.
Once happy you have the volume required, an intense flavour and rich colour, remove from heat and strain through a colander. Leave to gently strain.
Refrigerate the resulting syrup overnight.
Making your Sloe Armagnac Ice Cream
Follow the instructions for pre-cooling your ice cream maker. Add your Gelato base and begin churning.
Once your slush texture starts to form, slowly pour in 1/2 cup (120mls) of your cooled Sloe Armagnac berry syrup.
Churn until your gelato reaches a crystal free smooth ice cream. My ice-cream maker reaches this point after approximately 30 minutes.
Pour your churned ice cream into a sealable freezer proof container.
It will keep at least six months in the freezer. However, ours has never lasted that long.
Favourite Sloe Armagnac ice cream serving suggestions
Spoon over warmed chocolate brownie
Pour blueberries macerated a couple of hours in your Sloe liquor over a scoop of this delicious Sloe Armagnac ice cream
Generous scoop alongside a chocolate lava cake
A dessertspoon sized scoop of Slow Armagnac ice cream into small cup with a hot fresh espresso coffee poured over. Accompany with biscotti or almond tuilles.
Review
The process for the syrup above may seem a little loose in detail but much depends on the Sloe based liquor you have made and the resulting flavours the berries have retained.
Regardless – the whole process is relatively fool proof – after all, I have mastered it.
This recipe can be adapted to any store bought liquor. I also love to make it with 1/4 cup (60mls) “real” Armagnac added to 1/4 cup (60mls) of store bought caramel sauce. The same base with 1/2 cup (120mls) of Baileys also makes a lovely spicy gelato.
If you do not have an ice cream maker – add it to your Santa list. You will not regret it.
The recipe for Sloe Armagnac Jelly will be posted soon.
Have fun and let us know how you go.