Eggs In Ice Cream

Our answer

Nigella's recipe for Strawberry Ice Cream (from NIGELLA SUMMER) uses a rich custard base that is made with milk, cream and egg yolks. The custard uses 10 egg yolks and unfortunately we would not suggest swapping these for 5 whole eggs as the custard will be too thin. The proteins that thicken liquids with heat are predominantly found in egg yolks rather than whites, so if you use a combination of yolks and whites then there will not be enough of these to thicken the custard sufficiently. The yolks also give the custard a smooth texture and rich taste, which will be lost if a combination of whites and yolks is used.

The left over egg whites can be frozen and used at a later date. Put the whites in airtight containers (remember to label how many whites are in each container) and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using. Frozen and thawed egg whites whisk well and are particularly good for meringues, so you may like to use them to make one of Nigella's pavlovas, such as Rose And Pepper Pavlova With Passionfruit And Strawberries or Mini Pavlovas. They can also be used to make Forgotten Cookies and Forgotten Pudding.