I’m thinking of having friends over this weekend. There’s a birthday to celebrate. Cake? But which one? Ice-Cream Cake?
I’d have to make my own ice cream first. Perhaps a rich vanilla? The basic mix is somewhat like a custard. First, you take cream and full cream milk, simmer, then add a vanilla bean slit down one side and slide it into the warm mix.
The vanilla bean is filled with tiny seeds held in a viscous sweet syrup. Once the bean has infused the creamy liquid, the seeds are scraped from the pod into the milk. Left behind, are the tiny black flecks, so that you know the flavour is real.
A little sugar is added and stirred through for sweetness. Muscavado will dissolve quickly but leave a caramel note and a honey colour. The pot is taken from the heat and eggs whisked through.
Then comes the chilling and churning, finally the moulding, perhaps I could add a layer of fresh raspberries? The slightly tart favour would cut through the richness of the ice cream.
Texture is important. Our mouths are so sensitive. We like to experience different sensations against our tongues. We have the cold. The melting creamy . We need a crunch to complete the experience.
I think I’ll top the cake with a disc of hazelnut meringue. Yes. The crisp, if I get it right with the centre slightly chewy, almost gooey but not quite.
The warm earthiness of hazelnut would finish the flavour profile nicely.
On serving, a drizzle of hazelnut liquor, plus a few whole toasted hazelnuts and a quenelle of rich double cream would be perfect. The result should be almost sensual.
Yes, Ice-cream cake it will be.
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