Thai style ice-cream with shortbread recipe

This unusual infusion of Thai and Scottish favourites tastes so good you may wonder why they stayed apart for so long!

Ingredients

For the ice cream

• 400ml can coconut milk
• 60g (2oz) caster sugar
• 1 red chilli, de-seeded and chopped
• 6-8 lime leaves
• 10cm (4in) length of lemon grass
• 142ml carton double cream
• 250ml carton chilled, ready-made custard

For the shortbread

• 90g (3oz) plain flour
• 60g (2oz) butter
• 30g (1oz) caster sugar
• ½ level tbsp coriander seeds, crushed
• Lime leaves, for decoration

Method

1. To make the ice-cream: Bring the coconut milk, sugar and chilli to the boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add the lime leaves and lemon grass to the pan.
2. Leave to infuse for about 30 mins, then remove the lemon grass and lime leaves from the pan. Chill the infused coconut milk.
3. Lightly whip the cream until it forms soft peaks and then stir in the custard and coconut milk.
4. Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container and freeze it until it's almost frozen.
5. Remove the container from the freezer and beat the mixture well to break down any ice crystals, then return it to the freezer and freeze until solid.
6. To make the shortbread: Set the oven to 190°C (375°F, gas mark 5). Sift the flour into a bowl and add butter, cut into chunks. Rub the butter into the flour until the texture is like fine breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar and crushed coriander. Continue to work the mixture until it begins to bind together.
7. Roll the mixture out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle about 24 x 10cm (9½x4in). Trim the edges to neaten them.
8. Cut widthways into strips about 4cm (1½-in) wide, then cut each of these in half diagonally to give long, narrow triangle shapes.
9. Place the triangles on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 mins, or until the biscuits start to turn a light golden colour.
10. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and leave the biscuits to cool on it for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The ice cream may be stored in the freezer for up to one month.