GREEN DREAM: THE PISTACHIO AND CACAO ICE CREAM CAKE

SERVES

16

PREP TIME

-

COOK TIME

-

INGREDIENTS

15

 The pure pistachio flavour in this slice comes from an easy homemade pistachio milk, which is perfect with the fudgy cacoa base.

INGREDIENTS

• 165g coconut oil
• 3/4 cup (75g) cacao powder
• 1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup
• 4 eggs, separated
• 110g coconut sugar
• 3 cups (300g) almond meal

Pistachio milk

• 1/2 cup (80g) shelled pistachios, soaked overnight in cold water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1/2 tbs coconut sugar

Peppermint cacao nib ice cream

• 2 cups (500ml) pistachio milk (recipe follows)
• 600ml thickened cream
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup (125ml) maple syrup
• 1/3 cup (40g) cacao nibs
• Roughly chopped pistachios, to serve

METHOD

• 1
  Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease and line a 20cm x 30cm lamington pan with baking paper.
• 2
  Place oil, cacao and maple syrup in a saucepan over medium-low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
• 3
  Beat egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until thick and pale. Add cooled cacao mixture and stir to combine, then fold in almond meal. In a separate bowl, whisk eggwhites to stiff peaks. Fold one-third eggwhite mixture through cacao mixture to loosen, then fold through remainder. Spread into pan and bake for 20 minutes or until edges firm up and centre is still fudgy.
• 4
  To make the pistachio milk, drain and rinse the pistachios and place in a blender with 500ml (2 cups) water. Whiz until smooth. Add vanilla and sugar, and whiz to combine. Transfer to a sterilised bottle and chill until cold. 
• 5
  For the ice cream, place pistachio milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk egg yolks and maple syrup in a large bowl until thick and pale. As soon as the cream mixture starts to bubble around the edges, pour it into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Clean saucepan, then return mixture to pan and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 18 minutes or until slightly thickened and smooth. Transfer to a bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap. Cool to room temperature, then chill for 2 hours.
• 6
  Transfer pistachio milk mixture to an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (Alternatively, pour into a shallow container and freeze for 2 hours or until frozen at edges. Remove from freezer and beat with electric beaters. Return to the container and refreeze. Repeat 2 or 3 times). Fold through cacao nibs and spread ice cream over cacao cake. Freeze for 3 hours or until firm.
• 7
  Remove from the pan and scatter with pistachios to serve.