[simonj]

Been a while since I posted - but its a good 'un

At this time of year, foraging for fruits like blackberry or strawberry is both fun and rewarding, so if you have spent a few hours going through hedgerows then this is a great reward for all your efforts.

It saves fruit in a new way, and with local honey its a great little recipe to keep up your sleve

A really tasty, dense texture, it has tones of a toffee flavour because of the evaporated milk and the cardamom gives it a surprising depth - a nice contrast.

More details, pics and thoughts as always at my garden blog

The second time I made this, the first was about three weeks ago using blackberries but recently I was staying with friends 300 yards into Kildare over the border from Wicklow - and they have the most wonderful wild strawberries which I added to the mold - so that's where the Qulfi Cill Dara name comes from, I used blackberries in the last one I made so I would call it Connemara Kulfi - but that's for another day.

INGREDIENTS
450ml Evaporated milk*
450ml Baileys Irish Cream*
3 Cardamom pods
3 big tablespoons organic yogurt **
4 tablespoons honey or sugar, I prefer using honey
Seasonal sweet soft fruit, like wild strawberry, blackberry, currants or raspberry

Optional: A few strands of Saffron - or half a teaspoon of turmeric powder for colour

*the Baileys or Evaporated milk can be substituted with each other
** You can use double cream, but I have found the yogurt gives a better texture, and you can of course use a flavored yogurt like vanilla if you like.

Add the honey and cardamom pods to the Baileys and evaporated milk in a heavy based saucepan.
Cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring and scraping the sides and bottom of the saucepan.

After ten minutes remove from the heat and strain through a fine sieve to remove the cardamom pods, seeds and saffron strands if you are using them.

Leave aside until it has cooled a bit, about hand temperature is fine, then stir in the Yogurt and fruits if you are using them.

Pour into a mold or tin and chuck it into the freezer for 4 or 5 hours, overnight is fine.

To remove from the mold or glass, dip the container into warm water and press out the kulfi. I serve in slices with a sprig of mint