Chamomile ice cream, lemon meringue and almond crumble

Not yet rated

Antonia Klugmann's chamomile ice cream recipe features an elegant combination of flavours and textures, and provides a great method for producing smooth ice cream without an ice cream maker. The subtle, floral notes of the rich ice cream are countered by the crunchy crumble, while the bitter sharpness of lemon in the Italian meringue balance its sugary, marshmallow-like finish. A final dusting of green tea powder and ground ginger add a light aromatic punch just before serving.

First published in 2016

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Chamomile ice cream

  • 50g of chamomile
  • 350g of double cream
  • 2 tbsp of honey
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 50g of sugar
  • 1 gelatine leaf

Almond crumble

  • 200g of 00 flour
  • 250g of butter, softened
  • 190g of ground almonds
  • 250g of sugar
  • 1 pinch of salt

Lemon meringue

  • 50g of cornflour
  • 250g of sugar, plus 1 tsp extra
  • 75g of lemon juice
  • 1/2 lemon, zest finely grated, plus extra to serve
  • 125g of egg white

To serve

  • 1/2 tsp matcha
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Equipment

  • Thermometer
  • Food processor
  • Food mixer with whisk attachment
  • Piping bags
  • Blowtorch

Method

1
Begin by making the chamomile ice cream. Pour the cream into a pan and, over a low heat, gently bring it up to 80°C. When it reaches this temperature, stir in the honey until melted through
  • 350g of double cream
  • 2 tbsp of honey
2
Remove the pan from the heat and add the chamomile. Leave to infuse for 5 minutes, then strain the flavoured cream through a sieve into a clean pan. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaf in cold water to soften
  • 50g of chamomile
  • 1 gelatine leaf
3
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl until pale and frothy, then pour about a third of the infused cream over the yolks, whisking continuously. Once combined, pour the egg and cream mixture back into the pan with the remaining cream and place back over a gentle heat
4
Bring up to 85°C and stir in the soaked gelatine, squeezing out any excess water first, until fully dissolved. Pour the mixture out into a deep baking tray and place in the freezer. Leave to freeze for at least 3–4 hours until set
5
Meanwhile, make the crumble. Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3½
6
Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and bring together gently to form a sandy crumble, taking care not to overwork the mixture. Spread the crumbs out across a large baking tray and bake for 10 minutes, or until just crisp and lightly golden
  • 200g of 00 flour
  • 250g of butter, softened
  • 190g of ground almonds
  • 250g of sugar
  • 50g of cornflour
  • 1 pinch of salt
7
Set the crumble aside to cool completely then store in an airtight container until ready to serve
8
Once the ice cream has set, scoop out of the tray, cut into chunks and place in a food processor. Blend until completely smooth, then transfer to a suitable container and return to the freezer. The ice cream could be served now as a soft set, or frozen for longer to firm up (remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving to soften)
9
Make the meringue just before serving. Place the 250g of sugar and the lemon juice in a small pan and bring up to 121°C over a gentle heat. Mix the remaining teaspoon of sugar with the lemon zest and set aside
  • 250g of sugar, plus 1 tsp extra
  • 75g of lemon juice
  • 1/2 lemon, zest finely grated, plus extra to serve
10
As the syrup comes up to temperature, place the egg whites in a spotlessly clean bowl and whisk (either with an electric whisk or in a stand mixer) until just foaming
11
Once the syrup reaches the required temperature pour it slowly into the bowl of egg whites, dribbling it around the outside of the bowl while whisking continuously. Once all the syrup been added, continue to whisk until the meringue is glossy and stiff and the bowl feels cool to the touch
12
At this point, quickly stir through the lemon zest and sugar mixture and transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle
13
Pipe the meringue mixture in a swirl to create a round disc on each serving plate. Lightly scorch the surface of each disc with a blowtorch until golden brown
14
Mix together the matcha, ground ginger and a little grating of lemon zest in a small bowl. Scatter the reserved almond crumble over the meringue, followed by some of the matcha mixture. Finish with a quenelle of the chamomile ice cream and serve immediately
  • 1/2 tsp matcha
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
First published in 2016

Despite starting later in life than most chefs, Antonia Klugmann quickly made a name for herself by cooking unique, multicultural dishes on the Italian-Slovenian border.

Get in touch

Please sign in or register to send a comment to Great British Chefs.

You may also like

Load more