COFFEE ICE CREAM FLOAT WITH TOASTED HAZELNUTS

COFFEE DOMINATES BOTH MY MORNINGS AND MID AFTERNOONS. I’M NOT SURE HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE FEEL THE SAME BUT AT A GUESS, THERE’S A LOT. MORNINGS ARE MARKED BY THE WAKE UP CALL COFFEE BRINGS. THE RITUAL OF THE COFFEE SHOP RUN, THE PEOPLE YOU SEE AND THE MOMENTS YOU TAKE TO SIP IT. AFTER YEARS OF ENDLESS COMMITMENT TO THIS RITUAL I’VE FOUND MYSELF WANTING TO TAKE MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE COFFEE I’M CONSUMING. MY LOCAL STORE HAS UPPED IT’S GAME AND TRIPLED THE ORGANIC AND RESPONSIBLY STOCKED SECTION TO TAKE OVER AN ENTIRE AISLE AND I’VE FOUND MYSELF PICKING UP THE FAIR-TRADE, GROWN BY WOMEN ONLY COFFEES ON OFFER. I’LL HAPPY PAY A LITTLE EXTRA TO DO MY BIT WHERE I CAN AND GIVEN THE OPTIONS ON OFFER I DON’T THINK I’M THE ONLY ONE. SO HAVING RECENTLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE WITH LAVAZZA, ONE OF ITALY’S LEADING HOME GROWN AND FAMILY RUN BRANDS (THEY’RE IN THEIR SIXTH GENERATION, WITH THE COMPANY SPANNING OVER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS) I NATURALLY JUMPED AT THE CHANCE. LAVAZZA NOT ONLY PRODUCES COFFEE BUT HAS A LONGSTANDING TWENTY YEAR RELATIONSHIP WITH SLOW FOOD. THEIR HUGE INVOLVEMENT AND PARTNERSHIP WITH PEOPLE EQUALLY AS PASSIONATE ABOUT THE EARTH, SUSTAINABILITY, ETHICAL PRODUCTION AND FARMING MAKES FOR A INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT COLLABORATION. LAVAZZA HAS ALWAYS PAID SPECIAL ATTENTION TO INNOVATION, ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY. ONE OF THE CAMPAIGNS RUN BY THE LAVAZZA FOUNDATION (SET UP IN 2002) IS THE ¡TIERRA! PROJECT. IN COLLABORATION WITH THE RAINFOREST ALLIANCE, THE PROJECT AIMS AT PRODUCING THE HIGHEST QUALITY END PRODUCT AND FOCUSES ON THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF PEOPLE IN THE COFFEE GROWING COUNTRIES. THE AIM OF THIS PROJECT IS TO USE MODERN DAY RESEARCH AND KNOWHOW IN CONJUNCTION WITH TRADITIONAL FARMING, WORKING WITH PEOPLE THAT LIVE AND BREATHE THE LAND MAKING FOR THE ULTIMATE END RESULT, AMAZING COFFEE. WITH CLIMATE CHANGE BECOMING AN EVER MORE IMPORTANT ISSUE TECHNIQUES AND APPROACHES TO FARMING ADJUSTED AND SMALLER, LOCALLY RUN FARMS ARE BEING SUPPORTED AS WELL.

PREPARATION TIME: 40 MINUTES | MARINATING TIME: 30 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 2 HOUR(S) | FEEDS: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
65G GOOD QUALITY GROUND COFFEE (TRY LAVAZZA ¡TIERRA!)
1 VANILLA POD – SEEDS SCRAPPED OUT
450ML FULL FAT ORGANIC MILK6 EGG YOLKS (FREE RANGE, ORGANIC)
50G CASTER SUGAR
65 DARK MUSCOVADO SUGAR
350ML ORGANIC DOUBLE CREAM

70G HAZELNUTS – LIGHTLY TOASTED THEN TOSSED IN HONEY
SERVE WITH A GOOD CUP OF FRESHLY BREWED COFFEE

BEGIN BY COMBINING YOUR GROUND COFFEE, MILK AND VANILLA POD PLUS SEEDS IN A SAUCEPAN | COOK OVER A MEDIUM HEAT FOR AROUND 20 MINUTES BUT AVOID BRINGING TO THE BOIL THEN ALLOW TO COOL SLIGHTLY

NEXT WHISK TOGETHER YOUR EGG YOLKS AND SUGAR READY TO ADD THE COFFEE MIXTURE TO | IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THE COFFEE HAS NO GRAINS PASS IT THROUGH A VERY FINE SIEVE OR MUSLIN | THEN GRADUALLY ADD TO YOUR SUGAR AND EGG MIX | ONCE COMBINED PLACE THE BOWL OVER A PAN OF BOILING WATER (BE SURE TO NOT LET THE BOWL COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE WATER) AND COOK UNTIL THE CUSTARD BEGINS TO THICKEN, STIRRING THE WHOLE TIME | THE AIM IS FOR THE CONSISTENCY TO BE THICK ENOUGH TO LEAVE A SLIGHT COATING ON THE BACK OF YOUR SPOON | ONCE IT’S THICKENED STIR IN THE CREAM AND POUR INTO YOUR ICE CREAM MAKER | CHURNING FOR AROUND 50 MINUTES THEN PLACE IN THE FREEZER FOR ANOTHER HOUR | ALTERNATIVELY POUR INTO A TRAY AND CHURN IT BY HAND WITH A SPATULA EVERY HOUR FREEZING FOR A TOTAL OF 3 HOURS.

SERVE WITH YOUR TOASTED AND HONEY GLAZED HAZELNUTS PLUS A FRESHLY BREWED CUP OF COFFEE

TIP – IF THIS SEEMS LIKE TOO MUCH HARD WORK | CHEAT IT WITH SHOP BOUGHT CUSTARD (LOOK OUT FOR FRESH VANILLA IN THE INGREDIENTS FOR A BETTER FLAVOUR) AND SIMPLY COMBINE 600ML OF CUSTARD WITH 300ML OF STRONG COFFEE THEN FREEZE FOR 3 HOURS, CHURNING  ONCE EVERY HOUR