So many bloggers are mentioning trends that need to end in 2013 and like cake pops and salted caramel I have a feeling that Red Velvet everything may be on its last legs. I found this recipe here and what appealed to me about it was that it was most like the recipe to red velvet cupcakes in its use of buttermilk and vinegar so I thought it would be the most authentic.

I unfortunately decided to make this during a heatwave so the ice cream started melting before I could take a good picture of it. The good thing about the heat is that it forced me to make a plan to make ice cream without standing over a stove and waiting for the egg custard base to get thick enough. I did this by using the microwave and nuking it for 2 minutes at a time (x4) until it was done. So yes, you can now make ice cream in the microwave…?!

Red Velvet Ice Cream

500ml fresh cream

6 egg yolks

¾ cup castor sugar

1 cup buttermilk

30ml cocoa powder

15ml red food colouring

5ml white vinegar

5ml vanilla extract

Put cream into a large bowl and bring to the boil on a stove or nuke for 2 minutes at 100% power in the microwave. In another bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar well until thick and light yellow. Scoop about 60ml of the hot cream into the egg mixture while whisking vigourously to temper the eggs (so they don’t cook when you add them to the rest of the hot cream). Add the egg and cream mixture to the rest of the hot cream and whisk until well combined. Place in the microwave and nuke for about 8 minutes on 100% powder stirring every 2 minutes. The mixture will thicken and start looking like thin custard. Stir well and add buttermilk, cocoa, food colouring, vinegar and vanilla extract. When well blended cover with plastic wrap making sure that the plastic wrap is touching the ice cream mixture (this will stop a skin from forming as it cools). Chill for a minimum of 8 hours but preferably overnight.

Churn this mixture in the chilled bowl of your ice cream maker the next morning for about 40 minutes until thick and smooth. Transfer to a freezer safe container and allow to set for about 4 hours until it is ready to be scooped. I didn’t wait long enough to freeze before scooping so my picture shows a “soft served” ice cream that melted in the 10 minutes it took to take a few pictures. I did scoop again the next day and the consistency was hard and smooth and make perfect ice cream balls .