With this very mild Spring having an Ice cream dessert can make lighter end to a meal, especially if its homemade & a little bit different.  I usually serve this with amaretto soaked oranges & Italian Biscotti or thin almond cookies. Even if you don’t own an ice cream maker this recipe is easy to freeze.

100 grams (3 1/2 oz) short grain pudding rice
500 ml (18 fl oz) milk
60 grams (2 oz) Castor sugar
85 gram (3 oz) Clear Honey
1 Teaspoon of vanilla essence
1 Vanilla pod (optional)*
175 grams (6 oz ) Lemon Curd
500 ml (18 fl oz ) whipping or Double cream
Grated rind & juice of 1 Large Lemon

Method

1.  Put the rice into a thick bottomed pan add the milk.
2. Cut open vanilla pod and scrap seeds into the milk rice mixture.
3. Cover with a lid and cook on a moderate heat, simmering for 25-35 minutes, its
   important to stir the rice occasionally so it does not burn.
4. The milk should be fully absorbed into the rice and the rice should be tender.
5. Remove from the heat and add the honey ,castor sugar & vanilla essence.
6. Stir the rice until the sugar has fully dissolved, then pour mix into a food processor       and puree until almost smooth. Transfer into a clean bowl & refrigerate.
7. Put the lemon curd into a large bowl & gradually beat in half of the cream until its soft
   peak consistency.
8. Stir in the lemon juice & rind and then add the cool rice mix.
9. In a separate bowl whisk the remainer of the cream into soft peaks then carefully fold
   into the rice mixture.
10. Churn the mix in your Ice cream maker for about 20 minutes

Amaretto soaked oranges
4 Oranges
60 grams (2 oz) Castor sugar
50 ml Amaretto (Almond liquor) or Brandy

1. Zest 2 of the oranges and reserve, then carefully cut the peel off all four oranges with a good sharp knife.
2. Segment or slice the oranges.
3. Put the sugar into a small saucepan and heat until it begins to caramelise at the edges, then add the Amaretto and the orange zest. Cook the zest until it takes on a syrupy glaze.
4. Remove the zest and let it drain in small fine strainer.
5. Add any juice from the oranges to the syrup, turn down the heat low and cook for several minutes more until you have light syrupy consistency. Take off heat and cool.
6. When the syrup is cool gently stir in the oranges.
   Chef’s Tips
   If you don’t own a Ice cream maker then put rice mixture in a freezer proof container, freeze for 1 hour, then whisk for 2-3 minutes then place the ice cream back in the container and repeat these steps twice more so it freezes without ice crystals in it.
   Serving tips
   Take out the ice cream from the freezer and put the container into the fridge about 25 minutes before you want to serve it. Use an ice cream scoop it makes serving so much easier.