Strawberry & ice cream cake Recipe

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter the bottom and sides of a 20cm springform pan and line it with baking paper. Bring a pan of water to a boil. Pick out eight of the prettiest strawberries and set them aside. Hull the rest and cut them into slices.

STEP 2: Crack the eggs into a large heatproof bowl, add the powdered sugar, and place over the simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Using an electric whisk, beat the eggs and sugar until thickened and doubled in size. Remove from the heat and continue beating for a few more minutes until the mixture has the shape of a ribbon when you remove the whisks. Drizzle the butter to the sides of the bowl and fold in with a large metal spoon, being careful not to knock out the air – stop when no butter is visible. Sift in the flour and a large pinch of salt and fold in. Carefully pour the mixture into the prepared pan, tapping lightly on the work surface to remove any large air bubbles. bake undisturbed for 25 minutes until the batter is golden brown. cool in the pan for 1-2 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

STEP 3: Once you’re ready to assemble the cake, remove the ice cream from the freezer and let it thaw for 5 minutes. Clean the 20 cm springform pan and pat dry. Cut the cake in half. Place the cake base on a sheet of baking paper and carefully lift it into the cleaned pan. Place the ring around the cake base and parchment and pin it in place. Once the ice cream has softened a bit, add the ice cream to the base and spread it to the edges with a small spatula. To get an even, smooth surface, dip the spatula in a cup of boiling water and pat dry before using. Spread the sliced strawberries on top, then cover with the top half of the cake and freeze overnight.

STEP 4: When you’re ready to serve the cake, cut the reserved strawberries in half. Place the cream in a large bowl and sift in the powdered sugar. Whip with an electric whisk until the cream just holds its shape. Pour a quarter of the mixture into a small piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Remove the cake from the freezer, remove the mold and place the cake on a serving platter. Spread the remaining cream over the top and around the edges of the cake, then pipe dots of cream over the cake and decorate it with the strawberry halves. Sprinkle the freeze-dried strawberries and pistachios (if using) on top. Slice with a sharp knife and serve immediately.