Excellence in Food and Drink Awards 2007
Category: Ice-creams
Winner: La Maison des Sorbets Foods Madagascan Bourbon Vanilla Ice-Cream Balls
Designed by Parisian pastry chefs for restaurants and hotels, these luxury ice-cream balls made from purely natural ingredients are individually scooped by hand in the group's British Retail Consortium-accredited kitchens to give a freshly made artisan look.
The judges loved the creamy dairy vanilla ice-cream, which is made from 65% whole milk and 13% double cream that has been infused with Madagascan Bourbon vanilla seeds scooped freshly from the pod, along with vanilla essence.
As ever, the devil is in the detail, and the overall concept captured the imagination of the judges, who agreed it was a "well thought-out product" with "sensible scoop sizes" that yielded exact portion and cost control, with each ball costing just 52p.
Despite its sumptuousness, the freezer-to-table dessert has been designed for maximum convenience and can be quickly served from frozen without requiring any specialist skills.
The balls are delivered in temperature-controlled vehicles in packs of 75, protected between layers of blue sheeting within a resealable cardboard tray with a lifting lid.
They are best stored at -18°C and, once plated, should be left to temper for a couple of minutes until the balls glisten to allow the colour and the flavour to intensify. A slightly flattened edge ensures that each ice-cream ball stays in place on the plate.
Shortlisted
Schöller Ice Cream Mövenpick All Natural White Chocolate Ice Cream