Italian milk ice cream (Gelato fior di latte)

1. In a small bowl, whisk the cornflour with about 100 ml of the cold milk until smooth.

2. Heat the rest of the milk with the cream and sugar in a saucepan, stirring (don't let it boil over).

3. Stir in the cornflour mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened (it coats the back of a spoon).

4. Pour into a bowl, cover the surface with cling film, let cool, then chill for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight).

5. Pour the well-chilled base into an ice-cream machine and churn for about 25-30 minutes according to the manufacturer's instructions, then transfer to a container and freeze for 1-2 hours to firm up. Without a machine: freeze in a shallow container and stir vigorously (or blitz with a stick blender) every half hour for 3 hours.

6. Leave at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving so it's easy to scoop.

Tip: Egg-free "pure" Italian milk ice cream, the base of every gelateria: it turns into stracciatella if you drizzle in melted dark chocolate at the end while churning - it's best eaten within a week, as it crystallises after that.