An ice creamwhich tastes of summer

Quercy saffron ice cream

When the days get hot, there’s nothing quite like homemade ice cream to savour local produce. With its delicate floral and slightly honeyed notes, Quercy saffron adds a touch of elegance to this creamy ice cream. Grown around Cajarc, a ‘Site Remarquable du Goût’, this precious spice works just as well in savoury as in sweet recipes. Here, it reveals its full aromatic range, combined with the freshness of blueberries and summer fruits. Serve this ice cream with a few fresh berries, a red berry coulis or a light drizzle of honey. A refined and refreshing recipe that showcases the flavours of the region.

Ingredients

Serves 6

50 cl whole milk
25 cl double cream
5 egg yolks
120 g sugar
15 to 20 strands of Quercy saffron
150 to 200 g blueberries or seasonal fruit
A few mint leaves, optional
A little honey, optional

Ice cream

Preparation

Steep the saffron
Heat the milk and cream until they just start to simmer. Remove from the heat, add the saffron threads and leave to infuse for at least an hour. To bring out the full flavour, you can leave the mixture to infuse for several hours, or even overnight in the fridge.
Prepare the custard
Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture turns pale. Gradually pour in the infused milk whilst still warm, stirring continuously. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard coats the back of a spatula. Take care not to let it boil. Leave to cool completely, then place the mixture in the fridge for several hours.
Churn the ice cream
Pour the mixture into an ice-cream maker and allow it to set according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you don’t have an ice-cream maker, place the mixture in the freezer and stir it vigorously every 30 to 45 minutes for about three hours to prevent ice crystals from forming.

To be enjoyed

served with fresh fruit

Just before serving, add a handful of fresh blueberries, a few mint leaves or a drizzle of honey. Seasonal red berries – such as raspberries, blackberries or redcurrants – also pair beautifully with the subtle notes of saffron.

A refined, fresh and delicately flavoured ice cream, ideal for rounding off a summer meal or enjoying on a gourmet stroll

Preparation time

Allow about 20 minutes for preparation, followed by 2 to 4 hours for infusing and cooling, plus 30 to 40 minutes in an ice-cream maker or about 3 hours in the freezer if using no ice-cream maker.

Foodie tips

in the Lot

Saffron needs time to release its flavours. Steeping it for several hours – ideally the night before – will give the ice cream greater depth of flavour.

Avoid bringing the milk to the boil after adding the saffron, as this may alter its delicate flavours. For an even more indulgent presentation, sprinkle a few strands over each serving just before serving.

Did you know?

An Occitan origin

Saffron is harvested by hand, flower by flower, over a period of a few weeks in the autumn. Each flower contains just three red stigmas, which are carefully picked and then dried to preserve their aroma. It takes around 150 flowers to produce a single gram of saffron. This painstaking process explains why it is considered one of the world’s most precious spices.

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