Tiramisu Ice Cream

We were invited to a friends for dinner the other week and one of their favourite desserts is Tiramisu which I have made on several occasions amongst other desserts. It was also Js birthday so it would be only fair to make one of his favourite desserts  but instead of making a traditional Tiramisu I thought I would make a Tiramisu Ice cream. I had actually eaten Tiramisu ice cream for the first time a few weeks ago in Tokyo, of all places. I think it may have been Moevenpick brand but I can’t remember but I knew at the time I would certainly have a go at making it myself once back home. I have kept this recipe quite simple but you could make it a little more decadent by layering grated chocolate between the sponge and ice cream.

You can make this as easy as you like by buying the sponge and ice cream or you can make everything from scratch if you have the time. I chose to make sponge rather than sponge fingers as I felt it would freeze better. This recipe makes one large dish about 8 inch square. If you are making your own sponge use the same tin you bake the sponge in to assembly the cold dessert afterwards.

Ingredients

1 litre vanilla ice cream
8 inch square vanilla sponge cake
4 shots espresso coffee
4 tablespoons of coffee liquor
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Dessert Assembly

Take the 4 espresso shots and double the quantity by adding water. Then add the coffee liquor to the mix.
Slice the sponge cake into three or 4 layers and divide the ice cream also into 3 or 4 portions, preferably sliced so it can be layered over the sponge.
Line the cake tin with Cling film up and over the sides so you can easily remove the dessert once frozen.
Place one layer of sponge into the base of the cake tin.
Pour over the sponge 1/3 of the espresso mix.
Spread sliced cream over first layer of sponge and spread to cover all of the sponge. Repeat layers of sponge, coffee and ice cream, the last layer being ice cream.
Sprinkle cocoa powder to cover the top layer of ice cream and freeze for several hours.
Work quickly when layering the sponge and ice cream as you don’t want the ice cream to melt, only soften.
To serve remove from the tin lifting the cling film.

Sponge recipe

Ingredients

125g butter
125g sugar
125g SR flour
2 eggs
2 tbsp milk

Method

Grease & line cake tin
Heat oven to 180 degrees centigrade.
Place butter & sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric whisk or good old fashioned wooded spoon until light and fluffy.
Add one egg at a time and whisk in between both additions.
Sift flour into mixture and fold gently through with a metal spoon so not to loose all the air that has been beaten in.
Spoon mixture into cake tin.
Bake in oven for 35- 40 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out of the sponge clean.
Allow to cool before removing from tin.

Vanilla Ice cream recipe

Ingredients

3 cup of cream
1 cup of milk
100g sugar
4 egg yolks
3 drops of vanilla essence

Method

Place milk & cream in a pan over a  very low heat and bring to a simmer.
Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a bowl till combined.
Whisk hot milk, vanilla essence & cream into yolk mixture.
Return to a clean saucepan over a very low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent mixture from ‘catching’ on base of pan.
Cook gently until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon.
Transfer to a bowl and allow the custard to chill in fridge completely before putting into ice cream maker.
Put mixture into prepared ice cream maker as per instructions for that appliance.