It's hot and I'm LOVING it. It's perfect ice cream weather.

My ice cream churning machine is a favourite kitchen gadget. Smooth, soft ice cream can be mine in under an hour, so I regularly use it. If you do not have an ice cream maker you can still make delicious ice cream – it just takes a bit longer.

Plums and ginger are a perfect combination, and the crunchy, cinnamon crumble makes a great topping. If the ice cream is not enough of a challenge, try serving it in a sandwich. Simply freeze the ice cream in a shallow tray about 2 inches deep, and cut rounds of it out with a biscuit cutter. Serve the ice cream patty between two thin, ginger snap biscuits.

Ingredients:

450g dark plums, about 8 large plums quartered and pitted
120g soft light brown sugar
3 tbsp syrup from a jar of stem ginger
90ml water
250ml double cream
1 – 2 balls stem ginger very finely chopped

For the crumble topping:

80g plain white flour
60g butter
60g soft light brown sugar
½ level tsp ground cinnamon

Method:

• For the ice cream: put the plums, sugar, ginger syrup and water in a pan and simmer until soft – 10 to 15 minutes – until tender. Puree in a blender.
• Stir in the chopped ginger and double cream. Refrigerate until cold, then churn in an ice cream maker in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• If you do not have an ice cream maker, pour into a container with a lid and freeze for about 1 ½ to 2 hours until the outer edges of the mixture are solid and the centre still liquid. Beat well until it is all slushy then return it to the freezer. Repeat after 1 ½ - 2 hours. After another 1 ½ - 2 hours it should be frozen, so give it a final blitz in a food processor until smooth. Return to the freezer to firm up.
• To make the crumble topping: preheat your oven to 190°C. Combine the ingredients in a bowl and rub the butter into the flour until it comes together to form little crumbly lumps of dough the size of peas.
• Line a baking sheet with silicone and sprinkle with the crumble mixture. Bake for about 10 minutes and leave to cool.
• Serve the ice cream sprinkled with the crumble topping. 

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