Eton Mess Ice Cream

Directions:

1. For the ice cream base, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy.
2. Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod and add to the liquid.
3. Heat the milk and cream on a medium heat until it reaches boiling point, remove from the heat and slowly pour into the egg yolks and sugar mixture, whisking as you pour.
4. Return the mixture to the pan on a low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of two hours, preferably overnight.
5. For the strawberry ripple, place the strawberries and icing sugar in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pass through a sieve to remove any pips. Place the strawberry purée into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer until the purée thickens to a jam-like consistency. Cool and refrigerate until required.
6. Pour the ice cream base mixture into the ice cream machine and set the timer for 45 minutes. Around five minutes before the ice cream is ready, open the lid and pour in the meringue pieces.
7. When these are incorporated, drizzle in the strawberry ripple. Serve immediately or decant into an airtight container and freeze until required.