H&G food
COLD SNAP
Easy-to-make ice creams and sorbets are the height of cool for summer sweets.
The scoop from Healthy Chef Teresa Cutter is that icy treats can be wholesome.
B
ack when I was a pastry chef at
a hotel restaurant, making ice
cream was one of my favourite
jobs. I would play around with flavours
and get creative with ingredients such
as fine chocolate, crushed berries, freshly
brewed espresso and toasted hazelnuts.
Using an industrial ice-cream machine,
I’d churn out about 40 litres a week.
They were traditional recipes, with
full-fat milk, cream and egg yolks. Since
then, I’ve come up with ways to make
healthy yet delicious frozen treats.
Besides low-fat milk, you can use any
type of milk to make ice cream: soy, rice,
coconut milk and even nut milks. And
avocado and nut milk are good substitutes
for egg yolks, which act as the emulsifier
that enrich custard-based ice creams.
Homemade ice creams are best served
within a day or two. If making them in
advance, leave at room temperature for
10-15 minutes to soften slightly before
serving. And if you're freezing the ice
cream for more than a few days, replace
a quarter of the sweetener with glucose
syrup for easier scoopability.
>
yogHurt,
honey &
vanilla
ice cream
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H&G food
1½ cups apple juice or grape juice
500g fresh or frozen raspberries
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
A few fresh berries, to garnish
Place all ingredients in food processor and
blend until combined. The mixture should
Yoghurt, honey & vanilla
ice cream
3 cups (750g) thick Greek-style
plain yoghurt
¹⁄³ cup warmed honey
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
Mix together yoghurt, warmed honey
and vanilla. Pour mixture into icecream maker and process according to
manufacturer’s instructions. Makes 1L
Pineapple & mint sorbet
2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
(preferably fresh, from about 1 large
pineapple)
80ml agave nectar or 2 tablespoons
warmed honey
1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
In a bowl, stir together pineapple
juice, agave nectar and mint. Pour mixture
into ice-cream maker and process
according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Makes 750ml
Passionfruit mango
ice cream
300g silken tofu
1 mango, peeled, seeded
and chopped
1½ tablespoons honey
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons passionfruit pulp
(from about 3 passionfruit)
Combine silken tofu and mango in a food
processor until creamy. Add honey, milk
and vanilla, then pulse to combine. Fold
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be smooth and, if using frozen berries, icy.
Serve immediately, garnished with fresh
berries, or, if making ahead, pour mixture
into ice-cream maker and process according
to instructions. Alternatively, spoon mixture
into ice-block moulds and freeze until set.
Makes 875ml or 12 ice blocks
in passionfruit pulp by hand. Pour mixture
into ice-cream maker and process
according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Makes 750ml
Peanut butter & chocolate
ice cream
¹⁄³ cup good quality cocoa powder
¹⁄³ cup crunchy natural peanut butter
or cashew butter (choose one without
hydrogenated fats)
300ml hot water
300ml low-fat, soy, rice or nut milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
16 fresh dates, pitted
In a bowl, stir together cocoa powder,
peanut butter and water until well
combined. Place mixture in blender,
then add milk, vanilla and dates.
Blend until all ingredients are combined
and dates are finely chopped. (Dates
sweeten the ice cream, so there is no need
to add any other sweetener). Pour mixture
into an ice-cream maker and process
according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Makes 1L
Avocado & vanilla
ice cream
600ml soy or coconut milk
300g avocado flesh (from about
2 avocados)
¼ cup honey or agave nectar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Whiz all ingredients in a blender. Pour
mixture into an ice-cream maker and
process according to manufacturer’s
instructions. Makes 1L
H&G
MAKE IT BY HAND
Even if you don’t have an
ice-cream maker, you can
improvise by placing the
mixture in a shallow
container. Place it in the
freezer and mix every few
hours. When almost set,
process in a blender to
aerate and create a
creamy texture. Return
to the freezer to set.
An easy shortcut is
to use frozen fruit as your
base. Whiz in a blender
or food processor with
juice or milk to make a
soft-serve treat.
If you love icy treats
and want to make them
often, do consider buying
a good ice-cream maker.
It makes the job easier,
produces smooth and
well-aerated results, and
minimises ice crystals.
Photography by Brett Stevens/ACP Digital Library (this page), Andre Martin/ACP Digital Library (opposite). All H&G recipes have been double-tested to ensure success.
Raspberry & vanilla sorbet