8 Recipes that Prove Ice Cream is the Perfect Food

Ice cream doesn’t deserve its bad reputation. It’s the perfect food. It’s packed with protein-rich cream, healthsome fruit and life-affirming wine. If you close your eyes and squint, it’s practically a health food.

“Buying an ice cream maker is the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” said Kira. Except she’s wrong: it’s the best thing that has ever happened to me.

If you’re not Kira’s pal, you can buy your own ice cream maker for the princely sum of $24. And I’ve road-tested 8 reasons you should do just that.

3 Ice Creams to get your 5+ a Day

Not getting enough fruit and veg in your diet? Add ‘em to your ice cream and you’ll be the picture of health in no time at all!

Avocado Ice Cream         

The original recipe from Muy Bueno Cookbook suggests you dollop this ice cream on top of chilli-chocolate brownies. No one has time for that!! Just serve the avo ice cream on its own, or maybe (definitely) topped with a shot of tequila.

Alternatively, drop a scoop into a tall glass of Mexican beer for a Mexican float. Avocado ice cream in cheap beer is at least four times more delicious than it sounds, I promise.

Black Doris Plum Ice Cream

Kira says: “Last weekend while doing my vege shopping they had black doris plums which are pretty much the only fruit I like. But instead of eating them on their own, I decided it would be even MORE DELICIOUS to turn them into ice cream!” Dear reader, she was correct. This Black Doris Plum Ice Cream is tastier than the sum of its parts.

Lemon Ice Cream

Ice cream isn’t just for parties! Kira says: “One day I was hungover and it was too hot and I was a light refreshing ice cream, so I though lemon might be nice. It was perfect!” She used this recipe, and I can confirm it tastes amazing.

Float a scoop of this in your gin and tonic to simultaneously cure and cause a hangover. Efficient!

4 Winescreams to get you drunk

I “invented” winescream by dropping a scoop of vanilla in my pinot gris. It was delicious. Winescream is the generic name for boozy ice creams, and also an excellent party game.

Rose Wine and Cherry Ice Cream

“I thought inventing a new ice cream and then eating it would be a fun activity!” said Kira, and it really, really was. We used this basic recipe, and added a few good glugs of rose and some fresh chopped cherries. Jenn and I stared at the machine in fascination. “It’s really working!!” said Jenn. “Do you remember the first time you saw an inkjet printer printing? I haven’t been so entranced since then,” I said.

We topped each scoop with rose wine, and it was delicious.

Patron Ice Cream

Patron is a fancy-pants coffee liqueur, which will add a shot of deliciousness to all your cocktails. Or Ice cream! This recipe makes a delicious batch of ice cream, best served with a shot of Patron drizzled over. Don’t let the egg whites freak you out. Eggs are good for you and tasty too.

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Liqueur Ice Cream

Kira’s mum (hi Veronica!!) made this for her birthday party. “They say ice cream can’t be healthy, but this recipe is. If you’re following the Atkins diet, that is.” The cream and egg yolks are all Atkins-approved – and Veronica subs in Splenda Stevia for the sugar. Kira uses sugar, and added shavings of Whittaker’s darkest, and chocolate liqueur, hence “Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Liqueur Ice Cream.”

This is Veronica’s recipe – if you have a link to an original, leave it in the comments:

• 250 ml Cream
• 250 ml full cream milk
• 4 egg yolks
• ½ – ¾ cup sugar depending on how sweet you like it (1/2 cup should do the job)
• ½ cup of dried cocoa
• 1 cup boiling water.
• Dash of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• Marshmallows, shaved chocolate, nuts, candies, fruit etc to add either into the mix at the very last minute or as garnish.

Heat the milk until just steaming – don’t let it boil! Beat together the egg yolks and sugar until foamy, then whisk in the cream mixture a little at a time to avoid any scrambled egg disasters. Heat this mixture gently, whisking all the time, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Dissolve the cocoa in boiling water. Let it cool a bit before mixing your cream with your cocoa and salt and vanilla and popping it in your ice cream maker. Let it run according to the manufacturer’s instructions before adding your chocolate and etc right at the end.

 BONUS ICE CREAM – Blue Cheese Ice Cream

Ice cream is dairy based – but does it have ENOUGH dairy in it?? Better add cheese, just to be sure.

Kira says: “I was having a conversation about my favourite things, ice cream and cheese,  so I found a recipe for blue cheese ice cream”.

Kira wasn’t so keen on this flavour in the end, but I liked it: both sharp and creamy. We ate it plain, but it would have been delicious with a crisp cheese cracker – and maybe in a winescream float for a wine and cheese party.

What’s your favourite ice cream, and do you consider it a health food? Tell us in the comments!