Saffron ice cream

Saffron is derived from the stamens of crocus flowers. It can only be picked by the nimble fingers of those who live in warmer climes. This makes it one of the world's most expensive commodities - a kilo can cost up to £10,000. Luckily you need only 0.5g to make this recipe. 

Remarkably, the name Croydon (the place of my birth) comes from an Anglo-Saxon phrase meaning 'crocus valley'; it's believed that saffron was grown here in Roman times to supply the London market. So you could say that this ice cream is a celebration of my Croydon heritage. Any excuse to sink a pint of double cream. 

The end result has a woody, grassy, earthy, metallic taste like no other.

300ml double cream
300ml milk
0.5g saffron
4 egg yolks
120g caster sugar
1tsp cornflour

1. Pour the cream and milk into a saucepan. Add the saffron and place the pan over a medium heat.
2. Meanwhile whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour together until pale and creamy.
3. When the cream mixture starts to bubble around the edge, remove from the heat. Pour a little into the egg yolks and whisk quickly to slacken the mixture. Working quickly, whisk the rest of the cream into the egg yolks until combined.
4. Return the custard mixture to the saucepan and put it back on the heat. Stir for a few minutes until thickened slightly, then remove from the heat.
5. Pour the mixture into a jug and leave to cool. You'll find your saffron strands get caught up in the whisk; spend a minute picking them out and putting them in the jug. As the custard cools, it will infuse with the saffron - you want to get the most out of it. 
6. Sling it in the Magimix.

This goes great with... Pistachio cake

Tempting though it is to hoover the saffron ice cream straight out of the bowl, why not go all refined and serve it with this lovely pistachio cake? You could even invite a few friends round. Thanks to UKTVFood for the inspiration.

150g unsalted pistachios nuts, shelled
225g plain flour
2tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt
100g butter, softened
225g caster sugar
4 eggs
100ml milk

A few drops of pistachio essence (optional)
1 orange
100g light soft brown sugar

1. Grease a 23cm cake tin and line the bottom with baking parchment / greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 180C (or 160C with the fan blowing). 

2. Whizz the pistachios in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Remove 50g and set aside (we'll use these for decoration). Blitz the remainder until finely chopped.

3. Add the flour, salt and baking powder to the bowl of the food processor and stir to combine. 

4. Cream the butter using a wooden spoon or electric whisk. Add the sugar and keep creaming. 

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each one. 

6. Stir in the milk, pistachio essence (if using) and the zest of the orange.

7. Stir in the flour and pistachio mixture. 

8. When combined, put in the oven for 35 minutes, until golden and risen.

9. Meanwhile, juice the orange and add to the soft brown sugar in a saucepan. When it comes to the boil, remove from the heat. 

10. When the cake is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes. Then, carefully turn it out onto a beautiful cake stand and make some holes in the top with a cocktail stick. 

11. Pour over the orange syrup using a spoon to distribute it in concentric rings. Finish with the reserved chopped pistachios.