Damson Cream Ice (Crème de Prunes de Damas)

Ingredients

• 1 pound (approx. 450 g) Ripe damsons (Fresh, ripe damsons work best. If unavailable, ripe plums are a close substitute.)
• 6 ounces (approx. 170 g) Caster sugar (Fine caster sugar dissolves more easily than granulated sugar.)
• 0.5 pint (approx. 280 ml) Water (Cold tap water is fine.)
• 2 oranges (peel only) Orange peel (Use a vegetable peeler to remove wide strips of peel, avoiding the white pith as much as possible.)
• 4 leaves Bay leaves (Fresh or dried bay leaves both work. They add a subtle aromatic note.)
• 1 small dash (a few drops) Liquid carmine (red food colouring) (Liquid carmine was a Victorian natural red food colouring. Use a few drops of red food colouring as a modern equivalent. Add just enough to deepen the colour of the damson mixture.)
• 1 pint (approx. 570 ml) Custard or double cream (The original recipe references custard or cream (Nos. 1 to 5). Use a ready-made pouring custard or lightly whipped double cream as a straightforward modern substitute. Both will work well.)
• 0.5 glass (approx. 60 ml) Noyeau syrup (Noyeau is an almond-flavoured liqueur syrup. Use amaretto syrup (non-alcoholic) or a small measure of amaretto liqueur as a modern equivalent.)

Instructions

1. 1Using a vegetable peeler, carefully peel wide strips of zest from both oranges, doing your best to avoid the bitter white pith underneath. Set the peeled strips aside. You will use the oranges' juice later in step 3, so keep the peeled oranges to hand.
2. 2Place 1 pound (450 g) of ripe damsons into a medium saucepan. Add 6 ounces (170 g) of caster sugar, half a pint (280 ml) of water, the strips of orange peel, the 4 bay leaves, and a few drops of liquid carmine (or red food colouring). Stir everything together briefly. Place the pan over a medium heat and bring the mixture just to the boil — you will see large bubbles breaking the surface. As soon as it reaches a full boil, remove the pan from the heat immediately. Do not continue to cook it beyond this point.
3. 3Allow the cooked damson mixture to cool for a few minutes until it is safe to handle. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl. Pour the cooked damson mixture into the sieve and press firmly with the back of a spoon to push as much of the damson pulp through as possible. Discard the stones, skins, orange peel strips, and bay leaves left behind in the sieve — these should not go into the final ice. Now squeeze the juice from both peeled oranges and strain it through the same sieve into the damson purée in the bowl. Stir to combine.
4. 4Pour 1 pint (570 ml) of custard or double cream into the bowl containing the strained damson purée. Add half a glass (approx. 60 ml) of noyeau syrup (or amaretto syrup). Stir everything together gently but thoroughly until you have a smooth, uniform mixture. Taste the mixture — it should be sweet, fruity, and lightly aromatic. Allow the mixture to cool completely to room temperature before proceeding to the freezing step. If you have time, cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to 1 hour — a colder mixture will freeze more evenly.
5. 5If using an ice cream machine: Pour the chilled mixture into the machine and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions, typically 20–30 minutes, until thick and frozen to a soft-set consistency. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for a further 2–3 hours until firm. If you do not have an ice cream machine: Pour the mixture into a shallow, freezer-safe container. Place it in the freezer. After 45 minutes, remove the container and stir the mixture vigorously with a fork, breaking up any frozen edges. Return it to the freezer. Repeat this stirring process every 45 minutes for 3–4 hours total, until you have a smooth, scoopable frozen ice.
6. 6Remove the damson cream ice from the freezer 5–10 minutes before serving to allow it to soften slightly — this makes it easier to scoop. Serve in chilled dessert bowls or glasses as an elegant dinner or dessert course.