Mango & Toffee Macadamia Ice Cream

I saw this recipe in the December issue of Good Food and just knew that I had to make it.

It had all my favourite things in it - mangoes - white chocolate and scorched macadamias!!! Yum!!  I did cheat a little - eliminated a step from the recipe (I bought the scorched macadamias rather than making them myself - but I will give you the recipe in it's entirety just in case you are not near a nut shop that sells the macadamias already done!!)

Mango and Toffee Macadamia Ice Cream
Recipe from Good Food Magazine - December issue

Serves 8

40g butter
200g salted roasted macadamia nuts
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
2 litres good quality vanillla ice cream
200g (I used 250G - why waste the rest of the block!!) white chocolate, finely chopped
2 mangoes, cheeks removed, peeled, finely chopped.

Line a baking tray with non stick baking paper.   Melt the butter in a large frypan over medium high heat.  Add the nuts and sugar.  Cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until the sugar dissolves and is golden.  Spread over the prepared tray.  Set aside for 30 minutes or until set.  Chop coarsley.

Line a 20 x 10cm loaf tin with plastic wrap  - allowing the sides to overhang.(I actually used a 23x27cm tin - and it was perfect - filled to perfection!!).

Transfer the ice cream to a large bowl.  Set aside for 10 minutes to soften.

Stir in the chocolate, and half the nut mixture.  Stir in the mango.  Spoon the ice cream mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.  Fold over the overhanging plastic wrap.  Place in the freezer overnight, or until firm.

Turn onto a chopping board.  Unwrap and cut into slices.  Divide among serving plates.  Top with remaining nut mixture.

If you have ever had a Weis Mango bar - this is just like it - only better!!!

As I went to serve this last night Mr. CCC told me he didn't like mangoes - oh well, all the more for me!!!!  Funny how you can live with someone for years and assume that just because you love something they do too!  Is there something that you have discovered after many years that your partner did not like???

Gnocchi with Meatballs and Brown Bread Ice Cream

We had a bit of a disjointed weekend this weekend - or should I say hectic.  I was watching one of "The Darlings" compete at an athletics carnival all day Friday and then we flew to Byron Bay for the weekend to celebrate a milestone birthday in the family.  So, not a lot was prepared in the food department this weekend, and not a lot of preparation (read grocery shopping) was done either!

Needless to say yesterday, although feeling a little wiped out from the weekend, I decided that a little time in the kitchen would fix that.  I had one of "The Dalrings" home yesterday - he too was wiped out!!  I asked him what he would like for dinner, and the response was gnocchi!!  What should I do - the usual spag bol type thing, or something creamy????  I had the gnocchi already, and most of the things to add whichever way I went - just needed to decide on the meat.  After wandering aimlessly in the meat department I stumbled upon these..

They were on special too - 2 packs for $8.00!!  Bargain.  So it was decided Gnocchi with meatballs.

This is the quantity that I made - it made a lot - enough for 6 with leftovers!!

Gnocchi with Meatballs


Serves 6


2 x 500g packets of sausages of choice 
1 x 500g bottle of good quality pasta sauce
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 x onion, finely chopped
2 cloves crushed garlic
150g bacon, diced
1 large zucchini, quartered, then cut into chunks
3/4 cup of frozen peas
2 x 500g packets gnocchi (shelf kind or fresh)
150g grated cheese
100g grated parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 180 C.


Make a small cut in the end of the sausages, and squeeze out small amounts to make little meatballs.  Gently fry in a non stick frying pan over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes, or until cooked.  Remove from pan, and place on a plate that has been lined with a paper towel to remove any excess fat.  Repeat with remaining sausages, until all cooked.

Now cook the onion, bacon, garlic for approximately 3 minutes, or until the onion starts to soften, now add the zucchini and peas and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, or until the zucchini starts to soften, and the peas are no longer frozen.


Add the pasta sauce, tomatoes, and the sausages.  Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper, and any salt if needed.


Cook the gnocchi according to directions on the packet.  Drain.


Place the sausage, tomato mixture into a large ovenproof dish.  Cover with the gnocchi, then top with the grated cheeses.  Bake in the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the golden on top.

There you have it a really easy meal.  Of course "The Darlings" picked out the green things - but oh well, such is life!!!  I am resigned to the fact that they will never eat a green thing!!!

And for dessert ........

Brown Bread Ice Cream


2 litres of good quality vanilla ice cream 
150g fresh brown/wholemeal bread (approx 3 slices)
150g brown sugar
50g caster sugar


Leave the ice cream out of the freezer for approximately 30 minutes, depending on weather - or until/ soft enough to incorporate mixture with a spoon.


Preheat oven to 200 C.


Line a baking sheet with baking paper.


Process the bread into breadcrumbs.  Lay out on the baking paper.  Sprinkle the sugar over the top of the breadcrumbs, making sure that there is sugar all over the crumbs.

Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the sugar starts to caramelise.  Now be very careful here - it may take a little longer - but once the sugar starts to caramelise it turns very fast.  Mine actually "caught" around the edges - but that's ok - just take the middle bits - there are heaps of crumbs!

Allow the crumbs to cool.  Break apart into small chunks.  Place the ice cream into a large bowl, and carefully incorporate the crumbs into the ice cream, working fast so that you don't end up with a sloppy milk mixture!!

Put the ice cream back into the container, and freeze for several hours (at least 6).


Serve with fresh strawberries.

You really must try this.  It doesn't taste anything like what you think it will.  The brown bread turns into crunchy toffee - and unless you are told, you would probably never guess it was actually bread in there!!