It's warmed up a bit here, and I had a craving for ice cream — specifically coffee ice cream, for some reason. Funny thing is, I don't actually like or drink coffee (I can manage it only with a lot of heavy cream added), but I absolutely love all kinds of coffee desserts and cakes. I'd never had coffee ice cream before, but my gut told me it had to be delicious — and I was right. At first I wanted to make it the classic way with egg yolks (along the lines of this Vanilla Ice Cream), then I didn't feel like fussing with yolks, so I thought I'd use starch (like here — Black Currant Ice Cream), and then I remembered that ice cream can be made with just heavy cream and condensed milk, so I went with that option. )) I was planning to add chocolate and nuts inside, since both pair wonderfully with coffee and cream, but I wanted something a little more unique — and then I spotted some prunes sitting on the kitchen counter. )) All in all, this recipe was totally improvised, but the result was absolutely incredible — and I mean that without any exaggeration — especially considering how ridiculously easy it is to make!
Ingredients:
- 400 g heavy cream, 33-38% fat
- 300 g condensed milk (approximately)
- 1 tbsp coffee
- Filling:
- 100 g prunes + 2-3 tbsp cognac
- or chocolate, nuts
How to cook coffee ice cream with prunes
Dissolve 1 tbsp of coffee in 1 tbsp of hot water and let it cool. I used instant coffee and measured out a heaping tablespoon. Feel free to use more or less coffee depending on how strong you want the flavor.
Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks, then, continuing to whip, gradually pour in the condensed milk and coffee. Adjust the amount of condensed milk to taste — I used 300 g. Taste the whipped mixture; it should be slightly sweeter than you'd like, since the sweetness becomes less pronounced once the ice cream is frozen. Place the container in the freezer to set for about 2–4 hours.
Prepare the prunes. Wash the prunes thoroughly; if they are very dry, soak them in boiling water first, then drain. Pour the cognac over the prunes and let them sit for a little while to soak. The quality of the prunes really matters here! Good prunes have no sour aftertaste — on the contrary, they are very sweet — and they have no unpleasant artificial smoky smell. I usually buy Chilean or Argentinian prunes. You can also tell a good prune by the price — they are typically 2 to 2.5 times more expensive than the ordinary kind. If you don't like prunes or can't find good ones, you can use chocolate or nuts instead — walnuts, for example — and the ice cream will still be absolutely delicious.
While the ice cream is freezing, stir it a couple of times with a spatula, scraping it away from the sides.
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