“An ice-cream sandwich is always a crowd-pleaser,” says Yama Kitchen & Bar’s Rachel Reed. “Mix it with a doughnut and, well, that just tops it off. I’m not one for sickly sweet desserts, so there had to be acid and salt in the mix, that’s why I added some preserved lemon to the ice-cream, to cut back the sweetness of the honey. I also decided to dust the doughnuts with matcha sugar, which gives a savoury-sweet flavour.”
Ingredients
Doughnut
Honey and ginger ice-cream
Lemon curd
Matcha sugar
Method
Main
1.For honey and ginger ice-cream, line a 20cm x 30cm slice tin with baking paper. Bring milk, cream and ginger to just under a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat (3-4 minutes). Meanwhile, whisk yolks and sugar with an electric mixer until mixture holds a ribbon (2-3 minutes).
Pour milk mixture over yolk mixture, whisking to combine, then transfer to a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until mixture reaches 82C and thickly coats the spoon (4-6 minutes). Strain through a fine sieve, add honey, then set aside to cool (30-40 minutes).
Add preserved lemon and refrigerate until chilled (1-2 hours). Churn in an ice-cream machine, then spread in prepared tin, cover and freeze until firm (4-5 hours). Turn out, cut into small rectangles (about 6cm x 9cm; you may have some ice-cream left over) and freeze on a plastic tray lined with baking paper until ready to serve.
2.Bring milk to 82C in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally (2-3 minutes; don’t boil), then cool to room temperature (15-20 minutes).
Combine yeast and 30ml lukewarm water in an electric mixer with dough hook attachment fitted and leave until foamy (10-15 minutes). Add milk and half the flour and mix on low speed until combined. Cover and rest in a warm place until doubled in size (1-2 hours). Add egg, lard and sugar and stir to just combine; do not overmix.
Fold in remaining flour, nutmeg and ¼ tsp salt a third at a time, mixing to just combine between additions. The dough should be just dry enough to roll out, but still quite soft. Cover and stand in a warm place until doubled in size (1½-2 hours).
3.Place dough on a floured piece of baking paper, lightly flour top of dough, then knock back and roll to a rough 15cm x 16cm rectangle and cut into six 5cm x 8cm pieces. Cover and prove until almost doubled in size (1-2 hours).
4.Meanwhile, for lemon curd, place egg in a small bowl, lightly whisk in sugar and juice, then strain into a heatproof bowl. Add lemon rind and whisk over a saucepan of simmering water until thick and mixture reaches 82C (4-5 minutes)
Cool briefly (8-10 minutes), then process in food processor, gradually adding butter until combined. Refrigerate until chilled and thickened (40 minutes to 1 hour).
5.Preheat oil to 160C in a deep saucepan and deep-fry doughnuts in batches, turning occasionally, until golden and puffed (4-5 minutes; be careful, hot oil will spit). Drain on paper towels.
6.For matcha sugar, mix ingredients in a large bowl. Toss doughnuts in green tea sugar, then cut in half lengthways. Place 1 tbsp curd on the base of each doughnut, top with ice-cream and sandwich with top half. Sprinkle with extra matcha sugar and serve immediately.
Matcha tea is available from Japanese grocers and health-food shops.
Drink Suggestion: Pennyweight Amontillado, Beechworth, Victoria. Drink suggestion by Rachel Reed
Notes