Homemade Apricot Ice Cream

Everyone knows about the joys of mango ice cream, but what about the mango's more subtle stone-fruit sister, the apricot. Homemade apricot ice cream is a treat like no other. Whip some up at home today.

You'll need:

• 8 apricots
• 2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornflour
• 1 1/2 tbsp cream cheese, at room temperature
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/4 cups double cream
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 tbsp liquid glucose or golden syrup

How to make apricot ice cream:

1. Wash and slice the apricots in half, and pop them in a small saucepan with a splash of water. Cook over a low heat, until they are pulpy but not completely broken down. Set aside to cool completely.
2. Take 2 tablespoons of the milk and place in a small bowl with the cornflour. Stir them together well. 
3. Put the cream cheese into a large mixing bowl with the salt, and whisk until smooth.
4. Place the remaining milk into a saucepan, with the cream, sugar and glucose, and bring to the boil. Boil for 4 minutes, and then remove from the heat and whisk in the cornflour mixture. Return to the heat and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, or until thickened.
5. Pour mixture, bit by bit, into the bowl with the cream cheese. Whisk as you go to make sure there are no lumps.
6. You now have your ice-cream base. Chill completely in the fridge. When you’re ready to churn the ice-cream, stir in the apricot pulp.
7. Churn the base in an ice-cream machine, according to your machine’s instructions.
8. Pack into a freezer-safe container, cover with baking paper and freeze.

Notes on picking and pairing apricots:

Give apricots the sniff test. A perfectly ripe apricot smells ‘apricoty’, whereas an unripe one has no smell at all. Another sign of a top apricot is a golden orange colour—if you see any green it still has some ripening to do. The fruit should also be firm but slightly squeezable. 

Apricot buddies are almonds, black pepper, caramel, cardamom, ginger, hazelnuts, honey, oranges, peaches, vanilla, plums, chicken, beef, lamb, pork, ricotta, yoghurt, cream cheese, coconut, ice-cream and crumble.

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Homemade Apricot Ice Cream recipe and photograph by Sarah Coates for Lunch Lady Magazine Issue 1.