Ingredients

• 1 litre/1¾ pints vanilla ice cream
• 150g/5½oz ginger nut biscuits
• 75g/2½oz desiccated coconut
• 2 free-range eggs
• beaten
• 2 tbsp coconut cream
• vegetable oil
• for deep frying
• 150g/5½oz raisins
• 150ml/5fl oz dark rum
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 lime
• zest only
• 200g/7oz granulated sugar
• 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
• pinch salt

Directions

• Place a small baking tray in the freezer for at least 20 minutes
• until very cold. Remove from the freezer. Use an ice cream scoop to make balls of ice cream
• each about the same size as a golf ball. Place on the baking tray and freeze for at least an hour
• preferably longer.
• In a food processor
• blend the biscuits to the texture of fine breadcrumbs then mix with the desiccated coconut. Mix the eggs with the coconut cream.
• Remove the ice cream from the freezer. Dip each ball into the biscuit and coconut mixture
• patting it onto the ice cream. Then dip each ball into the egg and coconut cream mixture
• then coat in the biscuit and coconut mixture again. Repeat this step again
• to make sure you get a thick crust with no risk of leakages. Return to the freezer again
• this time for several hours or preferably overnight.
• Meanwhile
• for the sauce
• put the raisins and rum in a saucepan with the cinnamon. Bring to the boil
• then immediately remove from the heat and add the lime zest. Leave to infuse while you make the caramel.
• Put the sugar in a medium saucepan with 100ml/3½fl oz water. Stir until the sugar looks like very wet sand. Set over a medium heat and leave until the sugar starts to dissolve. Do not stir
• but carefully shake the pan every so often if it looks as though it is cooking unevenly. When it has turned an amber colour
• remove from the heat and pour in the cream – it will splutter and bubble
• so be careful. If the caramel seizes up
• set over a low heat and stir until it has dissolved back into a sauce. Add the infused rum and raisins. Taste
• season with salt and add a more rum if needed.
• When you are ready to fry the ice cream
• heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 190C (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Remove the ice cream balls from the freezer right at the last minute
• and carefully lower the balls into the oil and cook for around 15 seconds
• until a rich golden-brown colour. Drain onto kitchen towel and serve immediately with the rum and raisin sauce.