I made my first excursion into ice-cream-making when I was 10 years old. We had a share in a Jersey cow called Amber, who produced rich and delicious milk. I looked up an old Mrs Beeton recipe for coffee ice cream and froze the mixture in an ancient churn. It was a laborious process: ice and salt had to be packed into a wooden bucket around the central cylinder, which was turned by a system of cogs, gradually churning the liquid inside until it was cold and smooth. My salt-stung hands could barely crank the handle, but when the ice cream magically emerged at the end, I was ludicrously excited.

Amber had a calf called Brian and was never the same again, but I still have a slightly nerdy fixation with good ice cream. I also have a strange fondness for sorbet, which is something we've never really taken to in this country. I recently conducted a straw poll on the subject. One in 10 said they loved it; the rest said it was just frozen water. It's a pity, because sorbet can be every bit as vivid and intense as the creamy stuff. The weather has a lot to answer for.

I can thoroughly recommend Ices: The Definitive Guide, by Caroline Liddell and Robin Weir (Grub Street £12.99). Most of the recipes here are themes and variations on things I've learnt from it. This is a bit of a random selection because you can make ice cream from virtually anything. They are all, though, in their different ways, the flavours of a chilled-out summer.

How to make egg custard

Half of the recipes here are based on egg custard, which gives a rich, smooth feel. Don't panic - custard isn't remotely complicated

* Put the milk in a saucepan along with any background flavours (vanilla, tea and so on). Bring to just below boiling point and turn off the heat. Leave to infuse - the recipes will tell you for how long - then strain.

* Whisk the egg yolks and sugar (or honey) until the mixture is pale and fluffy and the whisk leaves a ribbon trail on the surface.

* Quickly whisk in ¼ of the milk, then add the remaining milk and stir in well.

* Place the bowl of mixture over a pan of simmering water (not touching the liquid) and cook, stirring occasionally, until the custard thickens. This could take anything from 5 to 25 minutes. When it's thick enough, you should be able to draw a distinct line through it with a wooden spoon. If the line shrinks away, it's not ready.

* Fill the sink with 2cm-3cm cold water and plunge the custard bowl into it. Leave to cool, whisking frequently, until it reaches room temperature (about 20 minutes). Cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge.

NO ICE-CREAM MACHINE?

Making ice cream and sorbet without a machine is called “still-freezing”. The result is a bit icier and less smooth, but if you carefully whisk out the ice crystals, it's as near as damn it. It always takes longer than you think, so factor that in, and turn your freezer up high.

* Put a strong rectangular plastic or metal container into the freezer to chill. When the ice-cream mixture or sorbet is ready, scrape it in and flatten the top (you want the mixture to be about 4cm deep). Cover.

* Place in the coldest part of the freezer (often the freezer floor) or the quick-freeze section, if you have one. Freeze until the outer rim of the mixture has solidified and the centre is still liquid. This takes anything from 1½ to 3 hours. Ice creams and sorbets containing alcohol and those that are very sweet take the longest.

* Remove and quickly beat to a uniform slush with a hand-held beater or whisk. Return to the freezer.

* Beat again after another 1½-2 hours, refreeze, and beat again after a further 1½-2 hours. Return to the freezer to firm up completely.

Mean Machine

The Magimix Le Glacier 1.1 (£35, from Argos) is a good bargain. If you want the crème de la crème, the Cuisinart Professional Ice Cream Maker (£260, from Amazon) lets you prepare several batches in a row.

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