Helado de Boletus Edulis con Crema de Clitocybe Odora (Penny Bun Ice Cream with Aniseed Toadstool Cream)

Ingredients:

For the Ice Cream:
500ml milk
90g sugar
8 egg yolks
10g invert sugar
250g penny buns (ceps or porcini)

For the Cream:
500ml whipping cream
8 egg yolks
2 tbsp dried aniseed toadstool mushrooms, powdered
100g sugar
10g cornflour

For the Pastry Beads:
50g egg whites
50g icing sugar
50g butter
50g plain flour
50g pine nuts, ground

Method:

Begin with the ice cream. Slice the penny buns, add to a bowl with the milk and sugar then cover and set aside in the refrigerator for 24 hours. The following day, turn the mixture into a saucepan and bring just to a boil.

Take off the heat. Beat the egg yolks in a bowl and add a ladleful of the hot milk. Beat to temper then pour the eggs into the milk and mushroom combination. Puree with a hand blender then put back on the heat and cook gently until the custard thickens. Take off the heat, allow to cool then pour into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's directions.

For the aniseed toadstool cream, combine the cream, mushroom powder and sugar in a pan. When it begins to boil take off the heat. Beat together the egg yolks and cornflour in a bowl. Add a ladleful of the hot cream to temper and beat to combine. Pour the egg yolk mix back into the pan, place on the heat and cook until thickened. Take off the heat, turn into a bowl, allow to cool then refrigerate to chill.

For the pastry balls, beat together the butter and icing sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the egg white and beat to combine then work in the flour and ground pine nuts. Bring this together as a dough then stretch out on a work surface. Cut into lengths and form into small beads. Place on a baking tray then place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 2 or 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

To serve, place two scoops of the penny bun ice cream in a glass dish. Spoon over some of the aniseed toadstool cream and garnish with the pastry balls. Serve immediately.