How to Make MasterChef Star Therese’s Sweet Roti, Chilli Caramel and Basil Ice Cream at Home

It was one of the best roti that MasterChef Australia judge, Jock Zonfrillo, had ever eaten, and now you can make it too.

During the Wednesday, May 5 episode of the hit series, front-runner and dessert queen Therese Lum continued her reign with a sweet roti, chilli caramel and basil ice cream.

After the lids on the mystery box were lifted, the contestants were met with a very limited number of pantry staples which they were to turn into the star of their dish.

While others opted for cakes, pasta and doughnuts, Therese wowed the judges who could not fault her dish.

The roti is made from flour, water, milk, sugar and butter, while the ice-creamed consisted of thickened cream, milk, egg, caster sugar and basil. Sounds simple right?

Therese has wowed us with the most spectacular of desserts including her Reynold-inspired apple and her magical mushroom, and on Thursday, May 7, it looks like she has another awe-inspiring dessert to come.

If you want to whip up Therese’s yummy dish at home, we have the recipe below. But we warn you, it’s seriously addictive.

Roti with Chilli Caramel and Basil Ice Cream

Serves 4

Ingredients

Roti

• 225g plain flour
• 50g hot water
• 50g water
• 50g milk
• 25g caster sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 300ml grapeseed oil
• 250g unsalted butter

Basil Ice Cream

• 250g thickened cream
• 125g milk
• 1 egg
• 60g caster sugar
• 1 large bunch basil, leaves picked

Chilli Caramel

• 80g caster sugar
• 80ml thickened cream
• 15g butter, cubed
• 2 bird’s eye chillies, finely diced
• salt, to taste

METHOD

1. Prechill an ice cream machine.
2. For the roti, combine flour and hot water in a stand mixer with a dough hook and mix on medium speed.
3. Combine water, milk, sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl and warm in the microwave for 30 seconds. Pour mixture into the flour and hot water and knead for a further 8-10 minutes until a smooth elastic dough is formed.
4. Divide dough into 6 balls. Transfer to a bowl and completely cover the balls in oil. Set aside in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
5. When ready to cook, heat the butter in a saucepan to melt slowly. Skim off the foam then strain through a cheesecloth and reserve the milk solids.
6. Oil a clean workbench.
7. Working with 1 dough ball at a time, use oiled hands with clarified butter to flatten the ball on the oiled surface. Pull and stretch from the centre outwards with your fingertips, lifting any thicker edges and pulling outwards, and gently pressing against the workbench to adhere. The dough should be thin enough so that you can see the bench through the dough.
8. Once the dough has been stretched thinly, pour some clarified butter over the dough ensuring the whole surface is covered.
9. Carefully roll the stretched dough circle into a log then coil into a scroll shape. Tuck the end of the log underneath. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
10. Heat a frypan over medium heat. Roll each coiled dough circle out thinly, brush with clarified butter and fry in the hot pan until deep golden brown on each side.
11. Transfer the cooked roti onto a workbench and use a clapping motion to bunch the roti and separate the layers. Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Set aside.
12. For the Basil Ice Cream, bring a small saucepan of water to the boil and prepare an ice bath in a bowl.
13. Heat cream and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk egg and caster sugar together until light and creamy. Pour the warm milk over the egg mixture and whisk to combine.
14. Blanch the basil leaves in hot water for 10 seconds. Transfer leaves to the ice bath. Once cool, drain and squeeze out excess water.
15. Transfer basil leaves to the egg and milk mixture and process with a stick blender until thoroughly combined. Return mixture to the saucepan and stir continually over low medium heat until mixture reaches 83C and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
16. Pour through a lined sieve into a bowl and place over the ice bath to cool. Churn in the ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions then set aside in the freezer until required.
17. For the Chilli Caramel, melt the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Gently swirl the saucepan until the sugar is evenly melted and turns golden brown in colour.
18. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in cream then the butter, one cube at a time, until combined. Remove from the heat. Stir in chilli and salt to taste.
19. Serve roti on plates with a drizzle of Chilli Caramel and a scoop of Basil Ice Cream.