Diana Henry crazy water pickled lemons Page 52
Ingredients
Serves 4
300ml milk
30 large basil leaves, roughly torn
rind of 1 lemon, cut in strips, white pith removed
150g caster sugar
4 egg yolks
juice of 1 lemon
150ml whipping cream (I used thickened cream, JB)
Instructions
Heat the milk just to boiling point, then add the basil leaves and lemon rind. Let this infuse for about an hour.
Beat the sugar and yolks together until pale and fluffy. Strain the milk, pressing the basil and lemon to extract any last bits of flavour. Stir this into the egg and sugar mixture. Make a makeshift bain -marie by putting your bowl into the top of a saucepan of simmering water. Stir the liquid in the bowl constantly until it thickens slightly. If you scrape your finger through the mixture on the back of a spoon and it leaves a path, your custard is ready. (I use a thermometer and heat to 85°C, JB). Immediately pour it into another bowl and leave to cool.
Add the lemon juice to the custard and beat the cream lightly. Add the cream to the custard and freeze in an ice-cream maker, or still-freeze, beating the ice-cream three times in a food processor or with an electric beater, during the freezing process.