Burnt-honey and ricotta gelato slice

ingredients

• • 400 gram honey, plus extra to serve
  • 1 litre (4 cups) milk
  • 2 cinnamon quills
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 50 gram caster sugar
  • finely grated rind 1 orange
  • juice ½ orange
  • 450 gram firm ricotta
  • 50 gram each glacé orange, glacé lemon and preserved ordessert figs, diced

• Sponge cake

  • eggs, at room temperature
  • caster sugar
  • scraped seeds 1/2 vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 190 gram plain flour
  • 70 gram butter, melted and cooled

method

• • 1

    Boil honey in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until caramelised (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat, carefully add milk (take care, hot caramel will spit), cinnamon and vanilla seeds, then return to heat and whisk to combine.

  • 2

    Whisk yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale (4-5 minutes), then add rind and juice and whisk again. Pour milk mixture over, whisking continuously, then return to pan and stir continuously over medium heat until mixture thinly coats the back of a spoon (4-5 minutes). Strain into a bowl (discard solids).

  • 3

    Process ricotta in a food processor until smooth. Gradually add 300ml of the custard and process to combine, then whisk ricotta mixture into remaining custard and refrigerate until chilled (2-3 hours).

  • 4

    For sponge cake, preheat oven to 180°C. Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer until thick, pale and tripled in volume (5-6 minutes). Sieve flour over in three batches, folding in with a large metal spoon after each addition, then fold in melted butter.

  • 5

    Butter and line a 23cm square cake tin with baking paper. Pour in sponge mixture and bake until golden and the centre springs back when lightly pressed (30-40 minutes). Cool in tin, then remove and trim the top flat. Halve cake horizontally and set aside.

  • 6

    Churn ricotta gelato in an ice cream machine. When thick, add glacé fruits and figs and churn to combine.

  • 7

    Place a sponge rectangle in the base of a 21cm square cake tin lined with baking paper. Spoon ricotta gelato evenly over and smooth top(it’s easiest with a palette knife). Place remaining sponge rectangle on top, press gently and freeze until firm (3-4 hours).

  • 8

    To serve, remove ricotta gelato slice from tin and cut into rectangles (see Cook’s Note). Serve drizzled with extra honey if desired.

  • 9

    Before serving, stand the gelato sandwich at room temperature for five minutes, then cut into rectangles with a large, sharp knife dipped in hot water.

notes

Before serving, stand the gelato sandwich at room temperature for five minutes, then cut into rectangles with a large, sharp knife dipped in hot water.