Ices are a form of frozen desert with mini ice crystals in them. They differ from sorbets where the churning process does not allow the ice to crystalize into small chunks. An ice is delightful during the hot summer months as the mini ice crystals melt on your tongue, it is a delightful (and cooling) feeling. This super simple recipe is all about wonderful ingredients. We are fortunate to get full fat milk from small farms that have not been treated with hormones or other chemicals, yes there is an amazing difference in the taste. This ice takes full advantage of fresh creamy milk and is topped with blueberries for tartness and hazelnuts for a nutty finish and texture. This is the perfect summer treat, simple, flavorful and light. This is a wonderful cookbook of recipes from the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. It is filled with recipes that are both traditional and contemporary. I will admit that I do not know much about the cuisine from this region, and this book is educating me. It is a beautiful book with stunning photographs of the land, the people and the dishes.
For more recipes from this wonderful cookbook, click here.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup hazelnuts, without skins
2 cups whole fat milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups blueberries
Honey, as needed
Heat a saucepan with the milk and sugar tilol warm and the sugar has completely melted. Cool.
Roast the hazelnuts in the oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes till lightly colored. Cool and chop roughly, I just halved them.
Freeze the sweetened milk. Every 1 hour remove and mix the ice crystals with a fork. Put back into the freezer and repear for 3 more hours. You are essentially not allowing the milk to freeze into a solid block, but rather as small crystals.
Serve sprinkled with the hazelnuts and blueberries. This ice melts very quickly so serve immediately. Drizzle the honey on top if you would like the dessert a bit sweeter.
Note: It is best to have this ice the day it is made since the ice has a smooth consistency. Leaving it in the freezer overnight tend to make the ice clumpy.