Maggie Beer Makes Some Very Adult Ice Cream
As I said, the range is small, four flavours. Vanilla and
Elderflower being the most pedestrian. What makes this special is
the use of real vanilla, when you open the tub your confronted with
a pastel orange with millions of flecks of real vanilla that run
through the entire tub. For those of you that haven't had
elderflower before, it's got a slight floral/orange taste. The
berries from the same bush are actually used for sambucca, but
that's mixed with anise so they have a very different flavour from
each other. Personally I prefer bergamot to elderflower, but that's just me. No
judgement on Maggie because this is still a nice variation on
vanilla. I'd go with Maggie's serving suggestion and throw a dash
of liqueur or an espresso.
Next off the bat is the passionfruit. It's made with real
passionfruit (16%) so there is none of that sickly artificial
flavour that comes with some passionfruit ice cream. It delivers
what it promises, a clean refreshing and somehow honest
passionfruit flavour, although that's let down by the lack of
crunch from black passionfruit pips you'd otherwise expect from a
real passionfruit. Your call if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
Again, as Maggie suggests, a pavlova with fresh passionfruit pulp
would be ideal.
Then, you have the real adult flavours. I wouldn't suggest serving
these to the kids. For those that have even a single cookbook by
Maggie Beer you will know she has a few obsessions. Pheasants,
verjuice and quinces. Her quince and bitter almond ice cream is
great but it needs a counterpoint. To me it had an odd chemical
taste to it, nothing like her quince paste. In fact, I think it's
the almonds that let it down. Anyone that's had processed almond
milk will know what I mean. Quince works well with fresh, roasted
and honey almonds, but I'd describe it more as "Quince & Unripe
Almond" if anything. Try it though, it'd work well with something
to counter balance the almonds. Maggie suggests Amaretto and
chocolate to compliment the quince but I'd try a glass of Muscat to
contrast the almond, I really think it needs it.
Last but not least has to be the crowing glory of her range - Burnt
Fig Jam with Honeycomb & Caramel. Heaven. I really don't have
to say anything else here I don't think. Unless you want one of the
others to match something else in a meal I'd just get this one.
It's got everything going for it except pheasant and
verjuice.
A
list of stockists can be found at Maggie's website