It’s almost that time of year again where foodies all across Sheffield come together to stuff their faces full of the tastiest local treats..yes that’s right Sheffield Food Festival is next weekend and we’ve got our fingers, toes, arms and legs crossed for sunshine.

You will find us in the peace gardens to the rear of the winter gardens from Saturday 27th – Monday 29th May

Make sure you leave room for dessert as we will be bringing along our trusty tricycle full of  artisan ice cream and sorbet. Our range of flavours is sure to have you talking if not drooling.

Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream

Black Sesame Seed Ice Cream

Mango Passionfruit Ice Cream

Yuzu Ice Cream

Chocolate Miso Ice Cream

Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream

Pink Guava Passionfruit Sorbet

…..and maybe some brand spanking new flavours.

We are very pleased to announce that you can now find a selection of our ice cream and sorbet in much loved noodle restaurant WAGAMAMAS!

If you’re looking for something sweet to finish off your delicious Katsu Curry or your Yasai Ramen then you can now indulge with one of our 5 ice cream and sorbet flavours:

Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream

Made using authentic Trung Nguyen Sang Tao coffee with it’s rich choclately aroma and lashings of sweet condensed milk to create the authentic taste of Vietnamese Coffee.

Chocolate and Shichimi Ice Cream

The Japanese Shichimi powder is a blend of seven flavours including sesame seeds, seaweed, chilli, Japanese pepper and orange peel that tickle the tongue and enhance the flavour of the rich dark chocolate.

Yuzu Ice Cream

Citrus fruit native to Japan, the taste is said to closely resemble that of a grapefruit with overtones of mandarin orange. A favourite here at Yee Kwan HQ

Pink Guava Passionfruit Sorbet 

Perfumed pink guava puree and heavenly passionfruit are blended to create an intensely delicious sorbet, relax and enjoy the taste of the exotic.

Lime and Lemongrass Sorbet

Yee Kwan’s favourite flavour, made with freshly squeezed lime juice, zest and pure lemongrass oil. This refreshing sorbet enlivens your senses, packing a punch with zest appeal.

Look out for ice cream sandwiches as a trend this Summer, whether it’s chewy cookies, bao, brioche buns sandwiching your favourite ice cream, they’re a delicious treat that everyone will love.
Here are a couple of options and recipes if you’re feeling creative in the kitchen.ICE CREAM SANDWICH RECIPES

MATCHA GREEN TEA WHITE CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM COOKIE SANDWICH
12 SERVINGS
Deliciously soft and chewy white chocolate cookie sandwich with our best selling matcha green tea ice cream.
Ingredients
210g Flour
55g Granulated sugar
70g Brown sugar
55g Butter
1 Egg
1/2tbs Vanilla extract
1/2tsp Salt
1⁄4tsp Baking soda
170g White chocolate chips
1L Yee Kwan Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream

Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 170°C
2. Cream together butter and eggs until smooth (add eggs one at a time)
3. Add the granulated sugar followed by the brown sugar.
4. Add the flour gradually.
5. Add vanilla, salt and baking soda.
6. Add the white chocolate chips gradually while stirring.
7. Bake in the oven for 12-13 minutes.
8. They will be very soft when removed from the oven, but immediately use a metal spatula to remove them from the cookie sheets and let the cookies cool on a metal wire rack.
9. Once cookies are cooled, portion a large scoop of ice cream onto 12 of the cookies and top with the remaining 12 cookies. Garnish as you desire

These fluffy steamed buns have risen in popularity recently, offered with a multitude of moreish fillings. They’re quite small, so it’s a good opportunity to try 2-3 different options, depending on how hungry you are!There are a number of outlets that have gained a following:

1. Bao http://baolondon.com/
2. Mr Bao http://www.mrbao.co.uk
3. Yum Bun http://www.yumbun.com/
4. Dim Sum Su http://dimsumsu.com/
5. Le Bao http://www.lebao.co.uk

FEBRUARY ALREADY?!! I know..we can’t believe it either!With a new year comes new goals and resolutions and we know there are many, many people out there who are exercising more, eating healthier, drinking more water (or not..we won’t tell). So naturally we thought that we would give you a few fun facts about the health benefits of our flavours.

MATCHA GREEN TEA

Matcha green tea can increase energy and endurance for up to 6 hours (with no coffee crash)

Matcha green tea has been shown to increase metabolism and help the body burn fat nearly four times faster (YEY)

Matcha green tea enhances mood, improves memory, and promotes better concentration.

Matcha green tea is a powerful detoxifier capable of naturally removing heavy metals and chemical toxins from the body.

MISO

Because miso is fermented and contains live active cultures, you can think of it as acting similarly on our digestive system as yogurt.

If you’ve been overdoing it on the sugar and dairy over Christmas (i know we have), you can benefit from consuming plenty of miso. It helps cleanse your system and speeds up the tummy’s ability to heal.

Miso has been linked to the prevention of high blood pressure.

Miso helps to activate certain enzymes found in beans and grains that allow you to absorb the available nutrients they provide more easily. These include copper, manganese, B vitamins, vitamin K and phosphorus.

GINGER

Ginger is high in gingerol, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Ginger appears to be highly effective against nausea.

Ginger appears to be effective at reducing the day-to-day progression of muscle pain, and may reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness…perfect for you gym bunnies out there!

CHILLI

Chillies carry a good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, iron, and magnesium.

Chillies can be useful in relieving and preventing common problems such as headaches, migraines and discomfort caused by sinus problems, allowing a person to relax more easily.

The main chemical found in chillies increases the metabolic rate, which aids in the fat burning process. Studies reveal that eating chillies can raise your metabolic rate by up to 23% for about 3 hour

COCONUT

Coconuts provide an immediate source of energy with fewer calories than other fats.

The healthy fat in coconut slowsdown any rise in blood sugar and helps to reduce those sweet cravings.

Coconuts improve digestion and help to aid and support overall Immune System functions.

Like you need an excuse to eat ice cream anyway..

Whether you save these tipples for Christmas day or treat yourself a little early we’re sure you’ll be coming back for more, and more…and more *hic*You all know how much we love a kick of chilli with our chocolate….

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
Pinch of chilli powder
Pinch of cayenne pepper
190ml almond milk, unsweetened (can substitute Irish Creme, coffee-flavoured liqueur or milk)
1 tbsp honey
30ml tequila
Cinnamon stick

In a saucepan over low heat add the cocoa powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon powder and chilli powder. Toast for a couple of minutes. Using a small whisk or wooden spoon, slowly incorporate the almond milk.
Raise the temperature to medium-high and bring to a slow simmer. Stir in the honey and remove from the heat.
Rim a mug with garnish of your choice (we chose paprika) Pour in tequila. Add hot cocoa mixture. Stir with a cinnamon stick and serve.

Something a little different – Lychee and Rose

50ml Beefeater gin
15ml Lychee liqueur (we use lychee sake hana)
7.5ml Rose syrup
5ml Fresh egg whites
30ml Lychee juice

Shake all of the ingredients together with ice and strain into a martini glass, garnish with a rose petal or lychee fruit for wow factor.

The perfect winter warmer – Hot Buttered Rum

2 parts Bacardi Carta Negra
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
small knob of butter
cinnamon stick to garnish
Freshly grated nutmeg to garnish

Over a low heat, melt the butter in a pan with the sugar and cloves. Turn off the heat and add the Bacardi Carta Negra and stir well. Pour the contents through a sieve into a mug or toddy glass and top with hot water to taste. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and grated nutmeg.

One for Christmas day – Christmas Pudding vodka

Allow a few days prep for this one
Nutmeg shaving
2 Sticks of cinnamon
2 Teaspoons ground mixed spice
1 Lemon
1 Orange
300g Currants
200g Chopped mixed peel
450g Light muscovado sugar
1L Vodka

Warm the spices in a dry pan over a low heat for approximately 10 minutes.
Grate the lemon and orange rind into in a bowl, then squeeze in 2 tablespoons of each juice.
Combine with the rest of the ingredients, including the warmed spices. Mix well, cover and chill for 3 to 4 days, stirring a few times daily, if you can.
To bottle the vodka, line a sieve with muslin and strain. Discard the cinnamon sticks, but reserve the soaked fruits for other uses.
Decant the vodka into clean bottles and seal – this will store for up to one year, and can be served from the freezer or at room temperature.

It wouldn’t be Christmas without it – Mulled Wine

750 ml dry red wine
1 orange, sliced into rounds
60ml cup brandy (optional)
60ml cup honey or sugar
8 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
optional garnishes: citrus slices (orange, lemon and/or lime), extra cinnamon sticks, extra star anise

Combine all ingredients in a non-aluminum saucepan and bring to a simmer (not a boil – you don’t want to boil the alcohol out!) over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours. Strain, and serve warm with your desired garnishes.

It’s Monday…the only way to tackle this is with copious amounts of coffee.How do you have your coffee?
Black?
Milky?

Not us, we’ve travelled the globe in search of different ways to get that caffeine kick!

America – Drip Coffee Nothing is more quintessentially American than a cup of Joe. Most mugs are brewed with Arabica coffee beans which contain less caffeine than other varieties, but studies have found that roasting coffee beans when the coffee is brewed actually ups the antioxidant levels. Talk about starting the day off right!

Turkey – Turkish Coffee Novices beware: Turkish coffee doesn’t play around. Served with the fine grounds still in it, this traditional coffee is known as extra dark and strong and is definitely not for the faint of palate. Turkish coffee is boiled instead of brewed so it packs in more heart-healthy nutrients

Greece – Frappe Made with instant coffee, evaporated milk and ice-cold water, a frappé isn’t glam, but it is definitely delicious.

Vietnam – Egg Coffee Egg coffee for breakfast (or dessert)! Made with egg yolk, condensed milk, sugar, and hot coffee, this this tiramisu-like treat is nothing if not rich. But before you feel too guilty, the combo of condensed milk and egg yolk gives this brew a hearty dose of protein.

Germany – Pharisäer Maybe save this one for the weekend ;)…Coffee with rum and whipped cream!…Yes please

Finland – Kaffeost Coffee with an extra shot of…cheese? so…a cheese called juustoleipä is cut into small chunks and placed at the bottom of the cup, and then coffee is poured on top. After you drink the coffee, you eat the cheese with a spoon…Brew Gromit?

Hong Kong – Yuan Yang This famous Hong Kong brew blends coffee with milky black tea for an antioxidant-boosted caffeine buzz.

Spain – Cafe Bombon Made with espresso and half sweetened condensed milk, café bombon doesn’t need any extra sugar (but maybe a trip to the dentist).. In one double shot sized serving, it packs 14 grams on it’s own! Try this Spanish classic with condensed coconut milk to cut the calories.

….i’d look away now if you’re squeamish..

Indonesia – Kopi Luwak – absurdly, this is coffee made from beans that have passed through a civet’s faeces. But, it is known to be very aromatic and flavourful…and very rare!