A Simple Recipe for Rum-and-Raisin Ice Cream

I love rum-and-raisin ice cream because it brings back memories from when I was a kid. These fruity, boozy ice creams are incredibly easy to make and are the perfect way to end a special meal. They might not be trendy, but they taste absolutely delicious!

The secret ingredient in this recipe is condensed milk, which some people might underestimate. But trust me, condensed milk is an amazing ingredient for making quick and tasty desserts. Unlike sugar, condensed milk doesn’t need time to dissolve, so you can enjoy your treat in no time!

I love using shot/tequila glasses as molds because they have a great shape. You can easily find them in bulk at big hypermarkets. If you don’t have any ice-cream sticks, don’t worry! Silvery teaspoons work just as well when used upside down.

Now, let’s talk about the ingredients you’ll need. This recipe will make around 12 lollies, depending on the size of your mold.

– 1/2 cup (125 ml) raisins

– 1/2 cup (125 ml) dark rum, plus more to taste

– 1 x 385 g tin condensed milk

– 1 Tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice

– 1 Tbsp (15 ml) good instant coffee (this will give the lollies a nice color)

– 1 tub (250 ml) whipping cream

Now, onto the cooking instructions.

1. Start by soaking the raisins in half a cup of rum. Let them soak for about six hours or until they have absorbed most of the alcohol.

To begin, strain the cherries, making sure to reserve the liquid. Place the cherries on a cutting board and chop them roughly, keeping a few whole for texture. Transfer the chopped cherries to a mixing bowl, and pour in the rum they soaked in. Add the condensed milk, lemon juice, and coffee to the bowl, and whisk everything together until well-combined.

In a separate bowl, beat the cream until it reaches a soft peak consistency. Then, gently fold the cream into the condensed milk mixture using a slow and careful motion.

If you’re looking for an extra kick, you can add more rum to the ice cream. I usually add about a quarter cup (80 ml) more, but you can safely mix in up to an additional 100 ml. Just be careful not to overdo it, as too much alcohol can prevent the ice cream from freezing properly, causing it to lose its shape when you try to unmold it.

First, I scoop the mixture into the glasses or molds, filling them up all the way. Then, I grab a stick or a teaspoon and insert it into the mixture. If the sticks won’t stand upright, I wait for about 20 minutes until the mixture has firmed up a bit.

Next, I pop the glasses or molds into the freezer and let them freeze for about 6-8 hours, or until they’re completely solid. Now, here’s a little trick: if you have a freezer with drawers, it can be a bit tricky to get these to stand up. So, what I suggest is to clear out a drawer, place a small tray in it, and push the drawer halfway closed, so it’s level. Then, you can put the glasses on the tray one by one and push the drawer all the way closed.

When it’s time to remove the frozen treats from their molds, I heat a damp dishcloth in the microwave for a short time. Then, I wrap the warm cloth around each glass while gently twisting the stick and pulling upwards. This should help release the frozen treat from the mold without any trouble.

These steps will help you make delicious frozen treats for you and your friends to enjoy. And if you’re a fan of my recipes, you’ll be happy to know that my new cookbook, “Scrumptious: Food for Family and Friends” (Struik Lifestyle), is now available at leading bookstores in South Africa.