River Cottage

Hugh whips up an unusual but brilliant combination of flavours in this rich ice cream from River Cottage Veg

Makes about 800ml

• 300g beetroot
• 4 egg yolks
• 100g caster sugar
• 200ml double cream
• 300ml whole milk
• 100g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

1. Roast beetroot in a roasting pan with 1cm water covered in foil for an hour or so until tender. When done remove from the oven and leave to cool.

2. Separate eggs and put yolks in a bowl with the sugar, whisk sugar and egg yolks. Heat 200ml of the milk and all the cream in a pan to scalding point. Pour the milk mixture over the egg yolk mixture, whisking as you go. Return the custard to the saucepan and heat over a gentle heat stirring constantly until the mixture has thickened to cover the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and pour into a clean bowl to cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin forming.

3. Meanwhile peel the cooled beetroot and chop roughly. Place chopped beetroot in a blender along with the remaining 100ml of milk and blitz until smooth.

4. Melt the chocolate over a gentle heat. Add the beetroot pureé to the cooled custard and mix, then add the chocolate and stir thoroughly to incorporate.

5. Churn the mixture in an ice cream maker for approximately 45 minutes and decant and finish in the freezer.