Pippa Mattei's strawberry ice cream

So, you've got a glut of strawberries from Festa Frawli. How could you resist those perfect looking berries? But now what to do with them? The warm sunny days are perfect for ice cream. Accompany a scoop of ice cream with these perfect home made tuiles, almond-flavoured, crispy biscuits that will keep for up to three weeks in and air-tight container. 

Rich strawberry ice cream

Makes 700ml

• Ingredients
• 500g ripe strawberries
• 300ml cream
• 100g caster sugar
• Juice of a lemon

Method

1. Mash or purée the strawberries in a blender or liquidiser.
2. Mix the sugar, cream and lemon juice into the purée.
3. Place in an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

This is a basic recipe for a soft fruit ice-cream therefore you can substitute any other soft fruit for the strawberries (peaches, apricots), but remember to taste the mixture for sweetness before freezing.

Pippa Mattei's strawberry ice cream (Photo by Ray Attard)

Tuiles

Makes approx 36

Ingredients

• 100g sugar
• 100g plain flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ large egg whites
• 2½ tbsp finely ground almonds

Method

1. Preheat oven 200°C and grease a baking tray, or line with a silicone sheet.
2. In a medium sized bowl mix all ingredients thoroughly.
3. Using a spatula, dipped in cold water, spread mixture thinly in small, round, flat shapes on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 6 mins or until golden brown around edge.
5. Remove with spatula.
6. Form into tuile shape by gently and quickly folding the biscuit over the handle of a wooden spoon.
7. Remove from handle. Push centre of unfolded edge downward to form tuile shape (see photo).
8. Leave to cool.
9. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Get more of Pippa Mattei's recipes her award winning cookbook Pippa's Festa and 25 Years in a Maltese Kitchen, available at leading bookstores. 

Recipes first published in Gourmet Today