Three of Brisbane’s top chefs have teamed up with medical research charity The Common Good to encourage families to ditch the pav and scoop up the last of this year’s Ekka strawberry ice cream to make a lifesaving dessert for the Christmas table.
The Berry Christmas campaign aims to save the 2.1 tonne of limited-edition ice-cream left over from this year’s cancelled Ekka and recoup the 600 hours of critical medical research it funds. With support from Lick! Ice Cream for supply and distribution, from this week families can pre-order 5-litre tubs for Christmas day, and have a go at making a special Christmas dessert recipe created by top chefs Shaun Hunt (Madame Wu and Chu the Phat), Javier Codina (Moda Tapas Brasa Bar) and Brendon Barker (Beach House Bar and Grill).
Each family sized tub purchased will fund one hour of medical research, and Brisbane families can choose where their hour goes – to critical research in the areas of heart disease, lung disease, dementia or mental health. CEO of The Common Good, Michael Hornby said Christmas was the perfect time for people to reflect on just how precious time with loved ones is, and the role that medical research plays in making sure that time is as good as it can be.
“The work of our incredible research unit has saved the lives of many over the years. Through transplants, innovative surgeries and medical advancements, we’ve made it possible for people to spend more time together, and most importantly, improve the quality of that time for so many people,” he said. “Queenslanders love the Ekka strawberry ice cream so we thought it would be great to invite them to enjoy it together at the Christmas table and make a difference to a cause they care about while they do it.”
Aspiring home chefs can have a go at recreating Hunt’s Mini Bombe Alaska – a sponge filled with Ekka soaked in Queensland gin and strawberry and caramel sauces; Codina’s Catalan Pyjamas, a traditional Spanish treat given a Brisbane spin with Ekka strawberry ice cream and fresh Queensland strawberries; or Barker’s Chocolate Chocolate Steamed Bun, an Asian-inspired steamed chocolate bun filled with gooey chocolate and paired with Ekka strawberry ice cream.
Each tub of Ekka strawberry ice cream purchased comes with a special Christmas decoration and a recipe card which includes each of the Christmas creations. The Common Good are asking families to share their strawberry ice cream Christmas creations across social media using the tags @thecommongoodau and #strawberryxmas
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