There follows my dessert from last weeks St Patrick’s Day meal.

There is absolutely nothing traditional about it.

Brown Bread Ice Cream
(with Caramel Whiskey Sauce)

Made with an icecream machine

Sauce
80g Caster Sugar
125ml Water
A small glass of Irish Whiskey

Ice Cream

200g. Wholemeal Brown Bread
3 tbs. Dark Brown Sugar
200g. Sugar
250 ml Whole Milk
6 Egg Yolks
250 ml Cream or Crème Fraiche

First make the sauce;
Melt the sugar in a small heavy based pan and then continue to cook until it turns nut brown.
Carefully pour in the water and stir together until blended.
Let it cool before adding the whiskey.
Cut the bread into rough chunks (but don’t make crumbs out of it).
Put the pieces on a baking tin and sprinkle over the 3 tbs. brown sugar.
Put this into a moderately hot oven (Gas 4/175C/350F) and cook them together until the bread beomes crisp and lightly browned and the sugar has started to caramelize.
Take out and let it cool completely.
When cool, bash it either in a pestle and mortar or in a plastic bag with a wooden rolling pin.
(You don’t want this too fine as you want the crunch to add texture to the ice cream).

Bring the milk to the boil in a small pot.
Beat the egg yolks with the 200g sugar.
Pour the hot milk on the egg yolks and beat together well.
Pour this mixture back into the pot and then put it back on the heat.
Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until it thickens.
It should not boil.

Let this mixture cool completely, stirring from time to time.
Stir the cream into this mixture and then churn in an icecream machine.
Once churned fold in the brown crumbs.
Store in the freezer but remove for about 15 mts before serving.

Serve in individual glasses with the sauce poured over.