Mara Des Bois Strawberries; Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream

Dabbous

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/mara-des-bois-strawberries-tahitian-vanilla-ice-cream • Posted by Bloomsbury

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.

You will need

Tahitian vanilla ice cream
1  litre Milk 300 ml Whipping Cream 100 g Dextrose 30 g Milk Powder 4 g Ice-Cream Stabiliser 1 g Xanthan Gum 100 g Caster Sugar 100 g Liquid Glucose 1  Tahitian Vanilla Pod , slit open lengthwise, seeds scraped out
Strawberry juice
500 g Strawberries 250 ml Water 50 g Caster Sugar 1 Lemongrass stick, bruised and chopped ½ Vanilla Pod , slit open lengthwise 30 ml Lemon Juice
To assemble
32 Mara des Bois Strawberries , cut in half, plus 8 small strawberries, stem on, to decorate Icing Sugar Lemon Juice 24 Basil Leaves

Project Budget

Time

Difficulty

Description

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.

Instructions

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.

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.

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.