Deep-fried ice cream with rum and raisin sauce

Step 1

Place a small baking tray in the freezer for at least 20 minutes, until very cold. Remove from the freezer. Use an ice cream scoop to make balls of ice cream, each about the same size as a golf ball. Place on the baking tray and freeze for at least an hour, preferably longer.

Step 2

In a food processor, blend the biscuits to the texture of fine breadcrumbs then mix with the desiccated coconut. Mix the eggs with the coconut cream.

Step 3

Remove the ice cream from the freezer. Dip each ball into the biscuit and coconut mixture, patting it onto the ice cream. Then dip each ball into the egg and coconut cream mixture, then coat in the biscuit and coconut mixture again. Repeat this step again, to make sure you get a thick crust with no risk of leakages. Return to the freezer again, this time for several hours or preferably overnight.

Step 4

Meanwhile, for the sauce, put the raisins and rum in a saucepan with the cinnamon. Bring to the boil, then immediately remove from the heat and add the lime zest. Leave to infuse while you make the caramel.

Step 5

Put the sugar in a medium saucepan with 100ml/3½fl oz water. Stir until the sugar looks like very wet sand. Set over a medium heat and leave until the sugar starts to dissolve. Do not stir, but carefully shake the pan every so often if it looks as though it is cooking unevenly. When it has turned an amber colour, remove from the heat and pour in the cream – it will splutter and bubble, so be careful. If the caramel seizes up, set over a low heat and stir until it has dissolved back into a sauce. Add the infused rum and raisins. Taste, season with salt and add a more rum if needed.

Step 6

When you are ready to fry the ice cream, heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 190C (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Remove the ice cream balls from the freezer right at the last minute, and carefully lower the balls into the oil and cook for around 15 seconds, until a rich golden-brown colour. Drain onto kitchen towel and serve immediately with the rum and raisin sauce.