Make a light mousse base for ice cream.
Ingredients
- 1 vanilla pod (split in half or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence)
- 450 ml cream
- 3 egg yolks
- 50 g caster sugar
- 75 ml water
- 3 egg whites (stiffly beaten)
Method
- Put the split vanilla pod in a small saucepan with the cream.
- Place the pan over low heat and scald the cream (bring it to just under boiling point).
- Remove the pan from the heat, cover and leave the cream to infuse for 20 minutes.
- Strain the into a small mixing bowl and let it cool.
- If you're using the vanilla essence, add it at this stage.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks until they're well blended.
- Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the water over low heat, stirring constantly.
- When the sugar has dissolved completely, increase the heat a bit and bring the syrup to boiling point, and boil rapidly until a little of it, spooned out of the pan and cooled, will form a short thread when drawn out between your index finger and thumb.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup stand for 1 minute.
- Pour the syrup over the egg yolks in a steady stream, stirring constantly until the mixture is thick, fluffy and mousse-like.
- Mix in the cooled cream and, with a metal spoon, fold in the egg whites.
- Pour the mixture into the ice cream container and freeze.
