Mincemeat Ice-cream Print E-mail

The queen of mincemeat recipes! Serve this as one of your Christmas desserts or as a cooling treat in summer. You will love its tantalising aroma and the contrast of its lush velvetiness with the bite of raisins and currants. 

3 extra-large eggs
175g (6oz) sugar
350ml (12 fl oz) double cream
1/2 tsp pure vanilla essence
2 tbsp dark Jamaica or Bermuda rum
15 glacé cherries, plus more for garnish, if you like
225 g (8oz) mincemeat
 
Warm a large bowl with hot water, dry it, then beat the eggs in using an electric mixer (or whisk vigorously for 10 minutes by hand) until they become bulky and primrose coloured. Beat in a tablespoon of the sugar. When it has been absorbed, beat in another tablespoon.  Finally, add in the remaining sugar and continue beating until a noticeable trail or 'ribbon' remains on the surface for several seconds when you let the mixture drip off the beater. In another large bowl, beat the cream until if forms soft clouds.

Beat in the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the rum, just until they are blended. With a rubber spatula, fold in a quarter of the egg mixture. Gradually fold in the remaining mixture, a little at a time, until it is thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture into a plastic freezer box or other container and freeze for an hour or until frozen at the edges. Remove and beat hard, adding the remaining rum. Replace in the freezer for another hour, then beat thoroughly again.

Coarsely chop 8 cherries and add them along with half the mincemeat, stirring them in well to make sure they are distributed throughout. Freeze for another hour or until it is close to completely frozen. Now stir in the rest of the mincemeat. (Adding it in two portions prevents it all falling to the bottom.) At this point you can transfer to a serving bowl if you like. Freeze for another 4 hours or longer, as convenient. For serving remove from the freezer about 15 minutes ahead of time to let it soften slightly. If serving from the bowl, decorate the surface with the rest of the cherries or, if serving in individual dishes, top each one with a cherry.

Serves 6-8.
 
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