Granita, semifreddo and parfait are all machine-free – or just buy in some ice-cream and upcycle it into affogato, sundaes or even homemade choc ices
In the absence of a machine, the obvious solution to frozen dessert needs is granita. “That’s the easiest,” says Kitty Travers, owner of La Grotta Ices in London. “All you need is a tray and a fork.” Berries will always be delicious in granita, but Travers suggests going off-piste and infusing a bag or two of jasmine tea in a simple sugar syrup, then combining that with fresh watermelon juice. Alternatively, “soak almonds in water, then blend with sugar and lemon peel. Make a simple syrup with coffee beans, add to the whizzed-up almonds and freeze.”
Half-frozen slab desserts (think semifreddo and parfait) also come into their own here. “Semifreddo is easy, it can be flavoured with fruit, nuts or chocolate and, most importantly, it provides the lovely, smooth texture of ice-cream even without a machine,” says Sophia Brothers, founder of Nonna’s Gelato in east London. “Whip double cream to soft peaks, then make an Italian meringue by combining sugar and water and bringing to a boil.” Once that hits 121C, stir it into whisked egg whites: “As a general rule, Italian meringue works best with double the amount of sugar to egg whites.” Whisk on a medium speed until the meringue cools, then add the whipped cream and any fruit puree or nut paste that takes your fancy. “I like strawberries blitzed with elderflower cordial,” says Brothers, who freezes her semifreddos overnight and serves in scoops or slices.
You could, of course, simply accessorise ice-cream that’s already in your freezer. “Scoop it between your favourite biscuits and, voilà, an easy ice-cream sarnie,” says Terri Mercieca, owner of ice-cream sandwich and soft-serve purveyor Happy Endings, whose first book of the same name is out now. Brothers goes one step further with a homemade choc ice that takes her back to “childhood memories of chocolate running down my hands”. Yes, you’ll need some moulds, but choc ices couldn’t be simpler to make, and are very customisable to boot. “Melt chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, then brush all over the moulds and set in the fridge for 10 minutes.” Spoon in gelato (freshly churned, ideally, but use whatever you’ve got), though let it soften a bit first, so it’s malleable. “You could also add different flavoured ice-creams, or a biscuit or sponge layer,” Brothers adds. Brush the base with more melted chocolate, then freeze until set. “Pop out of the moulds and serve with plenty of napkins!”
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