About

Cost: $ $ $ $ $

Difficulty: • • • • •

Time: 1h00

Dabbous
This is unquestionably my favourite ice cream. Tahitian vanilla is excruciatingly expensive but worth every penny. The taste is more marshmallow-like, virginal and rounded than that of Madagascan vanilla, which tastes positively medicinal alongside. Mara des Bois strawberries, at their best, have a floral violet aftertaste and a sweetness beyond most other varieties.

Posted by Bloomsbury • Published 16th October 2014 • See Bloomsbury's 41 projects » © 2024 Ollie Dabbous / Bloomsbury · Reproduced with permission. · Extract taken from Dabbous, published by Bloomsbury, £50.00, Hardback Photography © Joakim Blockstrom

Print • Embed

Flo Di favorited Mara Des Bois Strawberries; Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream 21 Oct 01:59
Bloomsbury published her project Mara Des Bois Strawberries; Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream 09 Oct 23:27

Step 1
Tahitian vanilla ice cream

1. Put the milk and cream in a pan and heat to 84°C.
2. Add all the powders, plus the sugar and glucose, and combine with a hand blender to dissolve.
3. Add the vanilla pod and seeds, remove from the heat and transfer to a container.
4. Cover with cling film and leave to cool.
5. Leave to mature in the fridge overnight.
6. The next day, remove the vanilla pod and blend the mixture with a hand blender to emulsify.
7. Pass through a fine sieve.
8. Churn in an ice-cream machine, then transfer to a chilled container and store in the freezer.
Step 2
Strawberry juice

1. Purée the strawberries in a blender until smooth.
2. Pass the purée through a fine sieve.
3. Bring the water and sugar to the boil, then remove from the heat and add the lemongrass and vanilla.
4. Cover with a lid and leave to cool.
5. Add the strawberry purée and lemon juice and chill overnight.
6. Pass through a fine sieve and store on ice for 30 minutes before serving.
Step 3
To assemble

1. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and beat it to soften it a little.
2. Season the strawberries with icing sugar and lemon juice, then leave for 2 minutes to macerate.
3. Divide between 8 glass dishes, top with the basil leaves and spoon over a little of the strawberry juice.
4. Place the ice cream in a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle and pipe on top.
5. Top with the strawberries with stems on.
6. Serve with a jug of strawberry juice alongside.