Easter is just over a week away. Will the sunshine break though as it has today, or not? The reason I ask is directly related to this Smarties Chocolate Mini Egg Ice Cream. Will a cold wet day force us to enjoy it inside, or better still, will we sit outside, in the warmth of the sun, munching on ice cream filled cones? I know where I’d rather be!
As Smarties mini eggs are not available all year round, yet this ice cream deserves to be made more often than Easter, here’s a solution. Simply use the same weight of regular Smarties. Since they don’t need to be chopped, making the ice cream will be even easier. Although, it isn’t a difficult recipe to make at all.
Suitable for both adults and children, a larger batch means that there is more to go around. Extra mini eggs on top of each serving show what is in the frozen treat and add to the fun. Since Easter is a time for celebrating, what better time to make this ice cream. Finally an ice cream maker makes the whole process simple and easy. I recommend Andrew James ice cream maker.
Recipe: Smarties Chocolate Mini Egg Ice Cream makes approx. 1L
400ml Double Cream
400ml Whole Milk
2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste – I use Nielsen-Massey
6 Large Free Range Egg Yolks
1.5 tsp Corn Flour – I use Doves Farm
6 tbsp Caster Sugar
150g Dark Chocolate
2 x 100g Packs of Smarties Mini Eggs
Method:
Ensure the frozen part of your ice cream maker has been in the freezer for a minimum of 24 hours, or according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Detailed step by step photographs can be found here Very Vanilla Ice Cream
- First of all, Place the milk and cream into a heavy bottomed saucepan, over a medium heat.
- Now add the egg yolks, vanilla bean paste, corn flour and sugar into a large, heatproof bowl. Whisk the egg yolks with the other ingredients, starting slowly and increasing in speed, until thoroughly combined.
- As small bubbles appear around the rim of the hot liquids in the saucepan remove the pan from the heat. This is called the scalding point.
- With the whisk on low, pour the hot liquid into the egg mixture slowly. Continue whisking until thoroughly combined. Pour the egg custard mixture back into the saucepan, placed over a low heat.
- While the custard is heating stir with a wooden spoon and quickly wash up the bowl
- Place the chocolate into the base of the bowl. While stirring the custard also place a sieve over the bowl.
- When the custard starts to bubble and coats the back of a wooden spoon it is cooked. Remove at once and pour through the sieve, on to the chocolate in the bowl.
- As the custard base moves through the sieve, any lumps are filtered out.
- Remove the sieve and stir the hot custard. As the custard melts the chocolate it will become visible. Continue stirring until all of the chocolate has melted.
- Place cling film directly on top of the hot custard. This will stop any skiing from forming.
- Move the bowl to a cool place. Once cooled to warm, place the bowl in the fridge.
- While the chocolate custard is chilling the Smarties can be prepared.
- Carefully chop one whole packet of mini eggs in half and tip them into s bowl containing a packet of whole smarties mini eggs.
- When the chocolate custard is cold, set up the ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Pour the chocolate custard through the specific whole in the covering. For my machine, the paddle needs to be turning first.
- Allow the ice cream to churn until it is softly set. Similar consistency to whipped ice cream.
- Once this point has been reached, turn the machine off and remove the paddle.
- Transfer the chocolate ice cream into a freezer proof tub with an air tight lid.
- Now add all of the mini eggs, both chopped and whole. Gently stir to mix in the mini eggs. Then clamp on the lid and place into the freezer, where it will freeze completely.
- Leave the ice cream to freeze solid. Overnight is ideal.
- To serve, remove the ice cream from the freezer 20-30 minutes prior to scooping. As this ice cream doesn’t have any additives to keep it soft, leaving it on the side prior to serving allows it to soften.
- Scoop the ice cream into cones or bowls. Also, sprinkle over a few extra mini eggs or Smarties.
These bowls of ice cream are bound to produce lots of smiles.
Store in the freezer for one month.
If you have enjoyed the recipe for Smarties Chocolate Mini Egg Ice Cream then you may also like these:
Homemade ice cream is unique. Since you can change the flavours to whichever you prefer. Also, the convenience of having an ice cream maker allows you to make ice cream whenever you want.
Whatever you do this Easter, I hope that you take a moment to pause and remember it’s true meaning. Please see Important Stuff
Sammie xx
Please note: The chocolate ice cream by itself is gluten free, providing gluten free corn flour is used. However, the min smarties eggs do contain gluten.