Hello Everyone!

Today’s post is a little bit different. I’ve been challenged by Caketober to create a recipe with a mystery ingredient. The only rule is that it has to taste delicious!

Caketober is a month-long event which raises money for charity by combining baking a fancy dress. They are inviting companies and groups of friends to dress up and hold a bake sale in aid of charitable causes. My job is to raise awareness and get you involved!

The reason I’m teaming up with Caketober’s celebration of food this year is that they are supporting a charity which is very close to home for me: Forever Manchester.

As you all may know, on the 22nd May this year, Manchester faced a terror attack which took the lives of 22 of our citizens, including many children. The event shook our city and it broke out hearts, but in pure Mancunian spirit we picked ourselves up and carried on with our lives, proving that the world is a loving and compassionate place.

Forever Manchester is a charity which supports the community and gives back to the people. They fund and support community projects and centres, help the homeless, and fund everything from education to sport. This charity is a hub for Mancunians to support each other and nurture the city we all know and love.

A few weeks ago I was sent my mystery ingredient…

And from that moment on, I have been wondering what to make with Chilli Flakes. That is, until a good blogger friend of mine, Sumarie Steenkamp, suggested using chocolate. After much thought, I visited my parent’s house and dug out my Ice Cream Maker.

Get ready for Chilli Chocolate Ice Cream!

This is super easy to make, and if you don’t have an Ice Cream maker, just get it out of the freezer every hour and mix it to loosen the crystals!

Chilli Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 500ml Custard
• 300ml (approx.) Double Cream
• 200g Milk Chocolate
• 2 tsp chilli flakes (if you’re brave)
• 1/2 cup cherries
• 1 tbsp sugar

1. Deseed cherries, place in a pan with sugar and simmer until dissolved and glossy. Put to one side.
2. For your Ice Cream; add in the custard, cream and chocolate to a pan and melt until creamy. Leave to cool for 15 minutes.
3. Plug in your ice cream maker and pour in the mixture. Add in some chilli flakes. It should take about 20 minutes to produce the right consistency. Place in a freezer safe tub and store for serving.
4. Serve with your cherries and a sprinkle of chilli flakes!