It’s been a while since me or Helen posted any recipes, and that’s because we’ve moved into a new flat (yay!). So 1) we couldn’t make anything new because we’d run down all the baking ingredients and 2) it’s taken forever to sort out the internet connection. But now we’re back!

Considering the scorching weather we’ve been having at the moment, I felt it was time to get reacquainted with my ice cream maker. The snazzier ingredients can be bought cheaply and easily on www.souschef.co.uk (my new favourite website)

Ingredients:

250ml full fat milk

125ml double cream

130g caster sugar (60g for the sauce, 70g for the custard base)

3 egg yolks

1tsp vanilla essence

150g chopped strawberries

75g popping candy

75g freeze dried strawberry bits

Method:

The ice cream will be best if you prepare both the vase mixture and the strawberry syrup the night before you churn. This is quite a chunky mixture but my relatively small machine coped ok with it.

Heat together the cream and milk on the hob until it starts to steam but not boil, and remove from the heat. In a bowl, whisk together the yolks, 70g of the sugar and vanilla, and then slowly pour in the milk mixture, whisking all the while. Return the whole mix to the hob and heat until the mix coats the back of the spoon. Let the mix cool to room temperature and then leave in the fridge overnight.

Simmer 60g sugar and the strawberries in a saucepan for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate the syrup overnight.

The next day stir together both mixes, using a blender for a smoother texture if you prefer. Then churn according to your ice cream maker requirements. Freeze for 4 hours, then serve and decorate with popping candy and strawberry bits.