Ingredients

Serves 6-8

Version 1: Battered
1litre vanilla ice-cream
1¾ cups plain flour
1½ tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ cup milk
¼ cup water
2 eggs
Vegetable oil for frying


Version 2: Crumbed
1 litre vanilla ice-cream
2 cups cookie crumbs
¼ cup coconut, desiccated
1 cup dry fine bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
Oil to deep fry
½ tsp vanilla essence


Caramel Sauce
Makes 500mls (2 cups)
330g (1½ cups) caster sugar
125ml  (½ cup) water
130g (2/3 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
300ml container thickened light cream

Method

Version 1: Battered
Using an ice cream scoop and your hands, form 6 to 8 very firm ice cream balls. Place the ice cream balls in an airtight freezer container so they are not touching, and set them in the freezer overnight to freeze rock hard.

Either the night before, or about 4 hours before serving, prepare the batter by mixing until smooth 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ tablespoons sugar (white or brown, depending on your taste preference), 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond flavouring, ½ cup milk, ¼ cup water, and 2 egg yolks (reserve the egg whites for use later). Refrigerate the batter for several hours until it is well chilled.

Just before serving, heat the oil in your deep fryer to a temperature of 180C/375°F. (Some report good success using a wok, but great care must be taken to keep the balls in gentle motion so they will fry evenly. Do not permit the oil to smoke, but it must be hot.)

Now beat the 2 egg whites until stiff and fold into the chilled batter. The batter should be thick enough to coat the ice cream balls. If it is too thin or too thick, it will not remain on them. Either add more flour or more milk to achieve the desired batter consistency.

Carefully coat several frozen ice cream balls with the batter, making sure their entire surface is thickly covered. The coating provides insulation from the heat. Carefully lower the battered balls one by one into the hot oil. Try to prevent them sticking to each other or to the sides of the fryer. Fry them for about 1 minute or so, or until the batter is golden brown in colour, then carefully remove them from the fryer and set them on paper towels until the remaining balls are done.

Serve immediately on individual plates with caramel sauce.
(Adapted from: http://www.homemade-dessert-recipes.com/fried-ice-cream-recipe.html)

 

Version 2: Crumbed
Scoop and roll ice-cream into 6 balls. Freeze for at least 2 hours.
 
Mix cookie crumbs, vanilla essence and 1 egg beaten.
In a separate bowl mix bread crumbs and coconut powder.

Dip the ice-cream balls in above mixture. Roll in coconut-crumb mixture. Put in deep freezer for 8-10 hours.

Heat oil for deep frying. Fry ice-cream balls, one at a time till golden brown.
Serve with caramel sauce.
(Adapted from: http://www.vahrehvah.com/Deep-Fried+Ice-cream:183)

 

Caramel Sauce
Combine the caster sugar and water in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Use a wet pastry brush to brush down the side of the pan to dissolve any remaining sugar crystals. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil, uncovered, without stirring, for 10 minutes or until the mixture turns a light golden colour.
Remove from the heat and use a wooden spoon to stir in the brown sugar. Stir in the cream (it may splutter a little) until well combined. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until smooth.