GLUTEN-FREE CONVENIENT CHRISTMAS ICE CREAM CAKE
Ice cream is always a feature on our Christmas dessert table and I have always made it myself.
But this year, Convenient Christmas year, we are taking an easier route to C Day. We have used as many shop-bought items as possible to create our desserts without compromising taste or texture.
Our Christmas Ice Cream Cake, is created with a very easy, home baked chocolate cake base and very conveniently built with good quality purchased ice cream and dulce de leche.
Just a bit of mixing and freezing and you’ll have a super spectacular dessert for Christmas.
If you’d like to go an extra mile, some might say gild the lily, we’ve added a recipe for Italian meringue with which to frost your ice cream cake, thus creating a Christmas Bombe.
Either way, your Christmas Ice Cream Cake will make a spectacular addition to your Christmas dessert table and will appeal to all ages.
After all, who doesn’t love ice cream.
Rosie
CONVENIENT CHRISTMAS ICE CREAM CAKE
With thanks to Gourmet Traveller from many years past on which this recipe is based.
Start this recipe 1 day ahead in order to freeze.
Serves 10-12
For the chocolate cake layer
2 eggs, separated
55 gm caster sugar
90 gm dark couverture chocolate, melted and cooled
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Preheat oven to180°C. Grease and line with baking paper the sides and base of a 23cm springform cake tin.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the egg yolks with half the sugar until thick and pale. Add the melted and cooled chocolate and mix to combine.
In a clean bowl of the electric mixer, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar and whisk for a further 5 minutes.
Fold half the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture followed by the remaining half.
Transfer to the prepared tin and bake for 15-30 minutes or until the centre is set.
Turn out onto a rack covered with baking paper, remove the baking papers used to line the tin and allow to cool. Place in the freezer for 30-60 minutes before using.
For the Ice cream
2.5 litres good quality gluten-free vanilla ice cream (we used Connoisseur brand)
200 gm gluten-free chocolate coated bars, nuts or glace fruit, roughly chopped
(we used Pana Organic coconut rough chocolate)
200 gm dulce de leche (we used Nestle Top’n’Fill Caramel)
Have at the ready a 21cm, 2 litre capacity bundt cake tin.
Spoon the ice cream into a large bowl, allow to soften a little then fold in the chopped chocolate, nuts or glace fruit.
Transfer to the bundt cake tin, filling right to the top. Smooth the surface. Reserve the leftover ice cream in the freezer.
Very gently top the ice cream with the chocolate cake. Cover and place in the freezer for a minimum of 6 hours.
Place a serving platter in the freezer for an hour.
To loosen the ice cream from the tin, dip the bundt tin in hot water for 10-15 seconds then turn out the ice cream cake onto the frozen platter. Alternately, you can use a hairdryer to loosen the ice cream from the tin.
Place back in the freezer.
Mix 450 gm of the remaining ice cream with the dulce de leche and spoon into the hole formed by the bundt tin. Cover and freeze for a minimum of 6 hours.
To Serve
Chocolate covered nuts, glace fruit or your favourite edible Christmassy decoration
Serve decorated any way you wish. We used glace fruit and chocolate covered almonds.
However, if you wish to be a little less convenient and possibly a little more spectacular, you can ice your cake with Italian meringue (see below) and you will have an ice cream bombe for Christmas.
Your dessert will last in the freezer, un-iced for up to 10 days, however, Italian meringue does deteriorate over time but will remain in perfect condition for several days.
Italian Meringue
160 ml water
440 gm caster sugar
4 egg whites at room temperature
1 pinch cream of tartar
Place the water in a small saucepan followed by the caster sugar. Stir over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat and without stirring, bring the mixture to 115°C on a sugar thermometer.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar in an electric mixer until soft peaks form. With the motor running, carefully and slowly, in a steady stream, add the hot syrup to the egg whites. Continue to whisk until cool – around 10 minutes.
Spread the ice cream cake with the Italian meringue, creating swirls as you do. Use a kitchen blow torch to lightly brown the frosting.
Loosely cover and store in the freezer until ready to serve.
Using a hot knife to cut the cake makes the job easier.