An ice cream extravaganza I’ve created in honour of the publication of the publication of Crow Moon, by my fellow debut novelist Suzy Apsley. Described as a ‘nerve-shattering, enthralling and atmospheric thriller’, it is the book that everyone is talking about, and here is a suitably luscious and indulgent dessert to celebrate its arrival in the world.
A few food styling tips, if you’re making this to impress. Unless you make your own, the best chocolate ice cream is Hackney Gelato Chocolate and Brownies or Chocolate and Hazelnut (from Ocado). Get everything organised before you begin: put a couple of highball or other tall glasses in the freezer. For neat scoops of ice cream, do what chefs do and scoop in advance: put the scoops on small foil-lined baking sheets, tidy them up with a teaspoon and put them in the freezer, ready for assembly time. If you can get hold of crystallised violets, they add a decadent extra crunch but are not essential.
An appropriately dramatic musical accompaniment would be Liszt’s Totentanz, in the recording by György Cziffra and the Orchestre de Paris from 1972.
CROW MOON SUNDAE
Serves 2
Prepare 15 minutes (ice cream can be scooped ahead – see above)
INGREDIENTS
150ml double cream, chilled
1 tsp sugar
few drops of vanilla extract
3 ripe figs, quartered
handful of blackberries and blueberries
4 tablespoons raspberry or strawberry coulis
6 scoops of chocolate ice cream
sprinkling of toasted flaked almonds and crushed crystallised violets (optional), to finish
METHOD
1. Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla till it’s somewhere between floppy and soft peaks and set aside.
2. Arrange a layer of figs and berries at the bottom of each glass and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of coulis.
3. Add a scoop of ice cream to each glass and spoon over some cream.
4. Repeat twice and finish with a sprinkling of nuts and violets, if using.
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