HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM and CONES

Ingredients :
(Recipe adapted from here)
 250 ml whole milk
150g sugar (I reduced to 120g)
500 ml double cream
pinch of salt
2 cups (about 80g) mint leaves, lightly packed (I omitted this and replaced with 1 tsp of vanilla extract)
5 large egg yolks

Put the milk, sugar, salt and 250ml of the double cream together in a saucepan. Whisk together and heat until hot to touch. Stir in the mint leaves the cover with a lid and remove from the heat. Let the mixture steep for about an hour at room temperature.  Strain the mixture into another medium saucepan. Really press the leaves to make sure you get as much flavour out as possible, then discard them.

Pour the rest of the cream into a medium-large bowl and set the strainer over it. Prepare an ice bath and set this bowl in it.  In another bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks together and put the bowl close to the stove. Put the mint mixture in the saucepan back on the heat until warm - when it is ready, slowly pour about half of it into the yolks, whisking constantly. Return this yolky mixture to the pan and whisk together. Heat again, stirring constantly (use a spatula to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom), until the mixture thickens to a custard consistency and coats the back of a spoon. Pour the contents of the pan through the strainer into the bowl with the cream. Mix together and set over the ice bath. Stir until cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before churning.


HOMEMADE CONES (I made into bowl shape as the waffles hardens before I could roll them into a cone shape)

60ml egg whites (about 2 eggs)
85g sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
90g plain flour
30g unsalted butter
Preheat the oven to 175C/350F. Melt the butter and put aside. In a medium sized bowl, stir the egg whites, sugar and vanilla together. Add the salt and 45g of the flour and beat in. Pour in the melted butter and mix well. Finally beat in the remaining flour.  This batter will keep in the fridge for about 4 days.
Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Put 2 level tablespoons of batter onto the paper and spread with a spatula/spoon/palette knife into a 6"/15cm circle. Try to keep it as level and smooth as possible. On the other side of the baking sheet, repeat so you have two circles. Put into the oven for 10-15 minutes, depending on your oven - mine took about 12. When done, they should be mainly a deep golden brown, often with some lighter spots.
While they cook, assemble the thing you'll need to roll them: your conical mould, two tall glasses and probably some clean rubber gloves to protect your hands from the heat. When they're done quickly remove from the oven and place on a heatproof surface. Use a thin (metal) spatula under one of the discs and flip it over. Immediately begin rolling the disc around the mould - position the point of the mould a few mm from the bottom of the circle and wrap each side around. Press down onto the surface on the seam and pinch the bottom. When it has cooled slightly, place upright in one of the glasses. I found I then needed to return the other circle to the oven to heat up again. Repeat the process. When ready to try the next two cones, take the parchment off the hot baking sheet to spread the discs - the heat stops them spreading properly. When totally cool, put in an airtight container until you want to use them.
(Makes 6 cones) - See more at: http://www.poiresauchocolat.net/2010/07/mint-choc-chip-ice-cream-and-homemade.html#sthash.OUaOj7gR.dpuf

Ingredients :
60ml egg whites (about 2 eggs)
85g sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
90g plain flour
30g unsalted butter

Method :
Preheat the oven to 175C/350F. Melt the butter and put aside. In a medium sized bowl, stir the egg whites, sugar and vanilla together. Add the salt and 45g of the flour and beat in. Pour in the melted butter and mix well. Finally beat in the remaining flour.  This batter will keep in the fridge for about 4 days.

Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Put 2 level tablespoons of batter onto the paper and spread with a spatula/spoon/palette knife into a 6"/15cm circle. Try to keep it as level and smooth as possible. On the other side of the baking sheet, repeat so you have two circles. Put into the oven for 10-15 minutes, depending on your oven - mine took about 12. When done, they should be mainly a deep golden brown, often with some lighter spots.

While they cook, assemble the thing you'll need to roll them: your conical mould, two tall glasses and probably some clean rubber gloves to protect your hands from the heat. When they're done quickly remove from the oven and place on a heatproof surface. Use a thin (metal) spatula under one of the discs and flip it over. Immediately begin rolling the disc around the mould - position the point of the mould a few mm from the bottom of the circle and wrap each side around. Press down onto the surface on the seam and pinch the bottom. When it has cooled slightly, place upright in one of the glasses. I found I then needed to return the other circle to the oven to heat up again. Repeat the process. When ready to try the next two cones, take the parchment off the hot baking sheet to spread the discs - the heat stops them spreading properly. When totally cool, put in an airtight container until you want to use them.