Eat & Drink: Fresh apricot ice cream 

If you’re lucky enough to live in an area where fresh apricots are bountiful in the summer, be sure to take advantage of their fleeting season by churning up a batch of this ice cream.

Don’t be put off by apricots that are übersoft, as plump and fragile as an overfilled water balloon, seemingly ready to burst at the slightest touch. Those are the best-tasting fruits.

Ingredients

• 1 pound (450g) squishy-ripe fresh apricots (10 to 15, depending on size)
• 1⁄2 cup (125ml) water
• 1⁄2 cup (100g) sugar
• 1 cup (250ml) heavy (double) cream
• 3 drops pure almond extract
• A few drops freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method

1. Slice open the apricots and remove the pits, then cut each apricot into sixths. Place the apricot pieces with the water in a medium, nonreactive saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the apricots are tender, about eight minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.

2. Once cooled, purée the apricots and any liquid in a blender or food processor until smooth. Taste a big spoonful; if there are any small fibres, press the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove them. Stir in the cream, almond extract, and lemon juice.

3. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

• Reprinted with permission from The Perfect Scoop, Revised and Updated by David Lebovitz (2018), published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. 

Food for Thought

Waffle on

Create kitchen envy with this Bubble Waffle Maker, available at Lidl for £11.99.
Golden and crispy on the outside, deliciously soft at the centre, this street food favourite originated in Hong Kong and now they can be easily whipped up at home, thanks to this gadget that features aluminium baking plates and high-quality
non-stick ILAG coating.

Lidl.co.uk

Pitta Please 

What The Pitta has added vegan nuggets to their menu, available for £3.99 with a homemade dip of choice. The vegan chain, which operates in Camden, Croydon, Shoreditch and Brighton, launched three years ago with a wide range of non-meat dishes, including kebabs made with non-GMO soy pieces, falafel wraps, hummus, tzatziki and fresh salads, as well as baklava.

whatthepitta.com

Love All 

Getting in the Wimbledon spirit, and as part of its 20th birthday celebrations, Carluccio’s has hidden 1,000 tennis balls across the country. Find one and with any purchase lucky customers can enjoy a complimentary Strawberry Negroni cocktail
or a Dolce Di Fragola strawberry dessert made from Italian sponge cake, fresh strawberries, sweet ricotta cream and topped with pistachio and amaretti biscuits.

carluccios.com/carlucciostennis