Thai Chilli Ice Cream

Ingredients:

600ml milk
2 Thai birdseye chilli, finely chopped (or to taste)
3 sticks of lemongrass, bruised
1 cork-sized piece of galangal, grated (add ginger if you can't get galangal)
4 or 5 Kaffir lime leaves with their edges torn
freshly-grated zest of 3 limes
juice of 3 limes
juice of 1/2 lemon
handful of grated coconut
7 egg yolks
250g caster sugar (or 200g palm sugar, if available)
450ml double cream
300ml coconut cream

Method:

Make a syrup by dissolving the sugar in the milk over a gentle heat. When all the sugar has dissolved add the flavouring ingredients to the pan (the chilli, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and lime zest). Bring this mixture to the boil then allow to simmer for 10 minutes or so. Take off the heat and allow to cool and steep for at least two hours.

After the steeping time remove the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves from the syrup then add the grated coconut then return the milk to a pan and scald (bring almost to boiling point).

Meanwhile beat together the egg yolks and the sugar until light and creamy. Once the milk has scalded pour it slowly into the egg mixture, beating all the while. Pour the resultant custard back into the saucepan along with the lime and lemon juice and place back on the heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and no more bubbles appear on the surface.

Still stirring constantly, pour the cream and coconut cream into the mixture then take off the heat and allow to stand for 1 hour so that the chilli and lime flavours can completely infuse through the mixture. After this time pour the mixture into the bowl of an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions (do not strain).