Brain Freeze: Living Crisis Lolly Recipes
If you’re an adult and you’re reading this: ice lollies are not just for summer. As energy prices soar, one might be looking for a way to save or stretch those shiny pennies. Filled with batched cooked vegan chillis and whisky cubes, our freezers cost on average between 10p - 21p a day to run¹. Per annum, it’s not a fortune, but it’s a small figure to make you think.
Our freezers may as well earn their keep while they’re turned on this winter, so keep them stocked up with these three uplifting lolly recipes (and an extra no-churn ice cream recipe too) using a selection of Porter Hill’s loose leaf delights.
How Bazaar?
This refreshing stick of ice will add a little something special to your day. Rich earthy black tea cut with zingy peppermint and ginger - a firm favourite of ours in the office.
4g Moroccan tea
Handful mint leaves
600ml ginger ale
In 320ml of boiling water, steep our Moroccan Bazaar blend along with the mint leaves. Be sure to give the leaves a quick smack between your palms to unlock those minty oils.
Steep for 20-25 minutes, or until you can smell the earthy, peppermint blend around your house.
Strain the tea mixture into a large jug and slowly mix in the ginger ale.
Once cool, pour into some lolly moulds and bob’s your uncle. We recommend saving a glassful for yourself to be enjoyed over ice.
The Koeldrank
This one is super easy - in fact, grab a blindfold. With South African Rooibos and real almond pieces, The Koeldrank lolly is best enjoyed as an alcohol & caffeine-free digestif.
7g Vanilla Rooibos tea
2 teaspoons of agave syrup
In 600ml of boiling water, steep our almond infused vanilla rooibos tea for no more than 10 minutes - it needs to keep its light reddish orange colour.
Stir in the agave. Once cool, pour into your lolly moulds and freeze.
Samurai Breakfast
What happens if you muddle together the best of Japan with one of France’s biggest exports? Well, you get a refreshing ice lolly full of antioxidants cut with a healthy slug of cognac (and perhaps some hairs on your chest).
4g Sencha Samurai tea
125ml cognac
Thumb and a half of ginger
Mint leaves
2 teaspoons of agave syrup
Boil the kettle and let it cool for a minute. Steep the Sencha Samurai in 320ml hot water until a golden yellow colour.
Peel the ginger and roughly chop, then muddle with the mint leaves until pulpy.
Strain the tea. Carefully muddle the cognac, tea and syrup in with the ginger pulp. Once cool, pour into lolly moulds and freeze.
BONUS Black Tea Ice Cream
It’s time to repurpose that banana bread loaf tin at the back of your cupboard: it’s now a vessel for delicious ice cream!
1 pint double cream
12g black tea
1 can condensed milk (397g usually)
Twist of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In your loaf tin, mix the condensed milk, salt and vanilla extract until combined.
Over a medium heat, bring half of the double cream and all of the tea to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes. Here, you’re looking for the cream to darken as the tea infuses.
Remove from the heat and let it cool. Strain into a container and cool in the fridge.
Whip the other half of the double cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into the condensed milk mix.
With the tea infused cream, whip until stiff peaks form and then swirl into the condensed milk mix.
Cover the loaf tin with cling film and place in the freezer for 5 hours (or until scoopable). If you’re looking for a smoother texture, mix at the 3 hour mark and then re-cover and let it freeze more.
If you’re planning on a cost of living crisis dinner party and wish to serve this ice cream, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.