Blueberry ice cream chocolates

It’s the season for fresh wonderful blueberries. Full of antioxidants and wonderful for the immune system. Make them into ice cream, coat them in chocolate and serve them to unsuspecting guests as a fabulous pre dessert or petit fours with coffee.

Alternatively you could just eat the ice cream?

Blueberry ice cream

I/2 cup of golden granulated sugar

2-3 cups of fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon of lime juice

1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract

scant pinch of salt

Recipe:

Make a heavy stock syrup using 1/2 cup of sugar to 1/4 cup of water, heat gently until the sugar is dissolves.

Add the berries to the pan with the lime juice, vanilla and salt.

Cook over a low heat until the berries just begin to burst and then remove from the heat.

Once cooled whizz the blueberry pulp in a food processor or push the mixture through a sieve (to remove skins and any tiny blueberry pips if you wish). This mixture can be stored over night if suits. Refrigerate.

Whip the cream to a soft peak stage and gently fold through the berry puree before placing into an ice cream maker to process.

When ready pour the blueberry mixture onto a metal baking tray lined with cling film for a minimum of 3-4 hours until completely set. With a melon baller or similar ( many measuring spoons are half spheres ) Make balls of the blueberry ice cream and return them to the freezer on the metal baking sheet for 10- 20 minutes to reharden. You will need to work swiftly.

Melt plain, milk or white chocolate in a pan of simmering water, ensure the bowl doesn’t touch the water, or melt the chocolate in a microwave, I usually do this in 10 second blasts. Cheaper white cooking chocolate works well for this.

Using two forks dip a ball of the ice cream in the chocolate and replace onto the cold metal baking sheet and directly back in to the freezer. Drizzle with thin sweeps of icing or another coloured chocolate to decorate. Replace in the freezer and wow your guests with a pre dessert or serve the frozen blueberry chocolates with coffee and other petit fours.

Enjoy! x