Gin and Tonic ice cream. Blueberry gin reduction.

Do you find a good gin and tonic irresistible? This is the ice cream for you. Unlike many ice creams, this ice cream is a team player, working perfectly with the blueberry gin reduction.

The Gin and Tonic is one of those truly classic cocktails. This piece from The Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe (via Wikipedia) nails it…

The transgalactic nature of the gin and tonic is imagined in Douglas Adams’ novel The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, which describes how “85% of all known worlds in the Galaxy, be they primitive or highly advanced, have invented a drink called jynnan tonnyx, or gee-N’N-T’N-ix, or jinond-o-nicks, or any one of a thousand or more variations on the same phonetic theme. The drinks themselves are not the same, and vary between the Sivolvian ‘chinanto/mnigs’ which is ordinary water served at slightly above room temperature, and the Gagrakackan ‘tzjin-anthony-ks’ which kills cows at a hundred paces; and in fact the one common factor between all of them, beyond the fact that the names sound the same, is that they were all invented and named before the worlds concerned made contact with any other worlds.”

Douglas Adams via Wikipedia

This ice cream delivered that Gin and Tonic magic. While the alcohol content is unmistakable, its effect will be considerably less pronounced than the Gagrakackans’ tzjin-anthony-ks!

The Planet Earth version…

There are two approaches to making homemade ice cream. The difference involves what is used for the base of the ice cream. One approach uses a custard made from egg yolks. The other approach uses dairy products such as marscapone and heavy cream. This ice cream uses the latter as I didn’t want the rich custard interfering with the “clean” taste of the gin and tonic.

Would it work with a custard base? It will certainly have a more creamy character if you like that style of ice cream. Another thing to try is to boil off the alcohol before making the ice cream. I wanted the alcohol content in this version, but there are obviously other circumstances where an alcohol-free version would be more appropriate. But an alcohol-free gin and tonic ice cream? I don’t know. The alcohol from the gin in the blueberry gin reduction has certainly been evaporated off.

For a more savoury take on gin as a cooking ingredient, try this cucumber fennel and gin sorbet, which tops some cured salmon. Sparkles! Blueberry reductions are popular on delectabilia. Try this one with the sake panna cotta.

Gin and Tonic ice cream. Blueberry gin reduction.

Servings: 6 people

Author: Steve Paris

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Ingredients

Gin and Tonic ice cream

• 3 Tbsp juniper berries
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 cup full fat milk
• 1 cup tonic as in gin and tonic
• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream whipping cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 Tbsp liquid honey
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 250 g mascarpone
• 1/4 cup gin

Blueberry gin reduction

• 175 g blueberries
• 1/2 cup gin
• 2 Tbsp blueberry jam or maple syrup

Instructions

Gin and Tonic ice cream

• Crush the juniper berries, or coarsely grind in a spice grinder.
• Slice the vanilla stick in two length wise.
• To a saucepan, add the juniper berries, 1 cup milk, 1 cup cream, 1/4 cup sugar, pinch of salt, and 2 Tbsp liquid honey.
• Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let steep for 1 hour.
• Stir the cornflour into the remaining 1/4 cup of cream until smooth.
• Return the juniper and milk saucepan to a medium heat, and add the cream and cornstarch mixture, stirring continuously.
• Keep on a low boil until thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Place the mascarpone in a large bowl.
• Strain the juniper and cream mixture through a fine mesh sieve into the large bowl with the mascarpone.
• Add the 1/4 cup of gin and the 250 ml of tonic.
• Whisk until smooth.
• Pour into the ice cream maker and process until the consistency of soft serve ice cream, about 1 hour.
• Use as soft serve, or transfer to covered container and freeze for at least 4 hours.

Blueberry gin reduction

• Rinse blueberries and add to a small skillet.
• Add the gin.
• Simmer until the blueberries break down and the combination starts to thicken.
• Allow to cool a little before spooning over ice cream.

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