Ingredients: Serves 4
For the ice cream (makes 600ml)
6 egg yolks
125g caster sugar
250ml milk
250ml double cream
1 vanilla pod, or a few drops of vanilla extract
300g damsons
200g sugar
For the chocolate pudding
250g dark chocolate
125g sugar
2 eggs
125g butter
50g cocoa powder
40g plain flour
1 tblsp cornflour
½ tsp ground juniper berries
2 tblsp sloe gin
1. To make the ice cream, whisk the eggs and sugar together in a bowl until well mixed and a creamy texture. Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan. Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds with a knife and add the seeds and pod to the pan. Bring to the boil and pour the hot mixture over the eggs and sugar. Mix until well blended together. Return to the saucepan over a low heat. Stir constantly until the mix coats the back of a spoon. Strain the cooked mixture through a sieve into a bowl and cool. Stir the mix occasionally to help cool it evenly. When cool, cover and place in the fridge until needed.
2. Place the damsons in a pan with 200g sugar and 100ml of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes with a lid on, remove from the heat and pass the damson mixture through a sieve. Chill the damson purée.
3. Remove the ice cream mix from the fridge and churn in an ice cream machine. When it has gained a soft, ice cream consistency, empty into a bowl and ripple in the damson purée.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 160°c/ gas mark 3.
5. To make the chocolate pudding, whisk the sugar and eggs together until fluffy and white. Whilst whisking, melt the chocolate and butter over a bain-marie, or in a microwave. Once melted, add the chocolate and egg mixes together and whisk. Add the dry ingredients and the sloe gin and then gently fold in. Put the mixture into ramekins, or one big ovenproof dish, and put to one side.
6. Cook the chocolate mixture at 160°c/gas mark 3 for 5-10 minutes depending on the size of your dish. The pudding should be soft in the middle and crusty on the surface. Dust with cocoa powder to finish. Serve the damson ripple ice cream on top of the chocolate pudding.