Pistachio & Berry Ice Cream

Pistachio flavouring:

• 1 cup currants
• ¼ cup rum, amaretto or other liqueur or ¼ cup fruit juice
• 1 cup glacé pineapple, apricots or paw paw, finely chopped
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup shelled unsalted pistachio nuts
• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Ice cream base:

• 3 eggs 
• 10 tbsp caster sugar, divided in half
• 2 tbsp boiling water
• 2 cups cream, chilled

Line two 30 cm loaf tins or a 2.5 litre container with baking paper. To prepare the pistachio flavouring, put the currants in a medium bowl and pour over the rum, liqueur or fruit juice. Stir, then set aside to steep for a minimum of 15 minutes or microwave for 1 minute. The alcohol helps to give the ice cream a soft texture, but the more you use the softer the ice cream will be, so don’t overdo it. Stir in the pineapple, apricots or paw paw, plus the lemon zest and pistachio nuts. Reserve the berries to add later.

To make the ice cream base, separate the eggs. Place the egg whites in the largest bowl and the egg yolks in a smaller bowl, ensuring no yolk gets mixed in with the whites. Add 5 tbsp of the caster sugar to the egg whites and beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks – about 6-7 minutes. Set aside. 

Add the remaining 5 tbsp of caster sugar and the boiling water to the bowl containing the three egg yolks. Beat until pale, thick and ribbony. You will know it is ready when it holds a figure of eight. 
In a third bowl, beat the cream to soft peaks. Try not to overwhip it, but if you do, add a bit more cold cream and beat again. Gently fold the egg yolks and cream into the beaten egg whites using a large flat spoon. This is your Ice Cream Base.

To make Pistachio and Berry Ice Cream, add the pistachio mixture and fold together. Fold in the raspberries right at the end, reserving a few berries for a garnish. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tins or container. 

Freeze for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until set. If you’re freezing the ice cream for longer, be sure to cover it to prevent freezer burn or flavour taint. To serve, lift the ice cream out of the tin or container, cut it into slices and garnish with fresh raspberries.