Amaretto Ice Cream with Mock Coffee Sponge

By corlear

Ingredients

• For the coffee cloud (mock sponge):
• 11/2 cup expreso coffee
• 1/2 1 cup water
• 4 sheets gelatin (previously rehydrated in cold water)
• For the bitter almond dacquoise:
• 11/4 cup egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 13/4 cup ground almonds
• 51/4 oz icing sugar
• 8 drops natural bitter almond essence
• For the basic syrup:
• 1 oz sugar
• 1/8 cup water
• For the liquid cocoa croquant:
• 1 oz cocoa powder
• 3/4 tbsp glucose
• 4 tbsp basic syrup (see previous step)
• For the amaretto ice cream:
• 33/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream (35% fat)
• 1 oz skimmed powdered milk
• 1/2 oz dextrose
• 1 1/3 cup plain flour
• 1 cup amaretto
• To finish:
• cocoa powder
• Demerara sugar

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

For the coffee cloud (mock sponge):
1. Mix the water and the coffee together and keep them in the fridge to ensure they are cold.
2. Heat ¼ cup of the coffee mixture to 120ºF and dissolve the gelatin sheets in it.
3. Whisk ¼ cup of the coffee mixture until it increases in volume.
4. Gradually add the rest of the cold coffee mixture and let it increase in volume for 10 minutes.
5. Once the cloud is formed, transfer it from the mixing bowl and spread a 1" high layer over a transparent sheet.
6. Leave to set in the fridge and cut into 2 x 2" squares
Note: It is called a mock sponge as it looks like a soaked sponge.

For the bitter almond dacquoise:
1. Whisk the eggs whites and granulated sugar into a stiff meringue. Carefully fold in the ground almonds and icing sugar.
2. Add the bitter almond essence.
3. Place the mixture in an icing bag and pipe it into slices.
4. Bake in the oven at 345ºF for 12 min and take the tray out once it is cooked.
5. Lower the oven to 195ºF and put the dacquoise back in. Dry it out for 40 minutes.
6. Once it is cold, use your hands to break it into granulated pieces.
7. Keep in a dry place.

For the basic syrup:
1. Mix both ingredients together and bring to the boil.

For the liquid cocoa croquant:
1. Mix the 3 ingredients together in the Thermomix and blend at 140ºF for 5 minutes.
2. Sieve into an icing bag and leave to rest in the fridge for 8 hours.
3. Use the cocoa paste to make 12" long thin strips on a Silpat liner and bake at 325ºF for 6 minutes.
4. Loosen them to give volume up when you take them out of the oven.

For the amaretto ice cream:
1. Place all the ingredients in a pan except for the amaretto. stirring continuously, heat to 185ºF.
2. Leave to stand in the fridge for 8 hours and add the amaretto.
3. Process in the ice cream maker.

Final Steps & Preparation:
1. Brush one side of a flat plate with amaretto and cover it with a thick layer of bitter almond dacquoise. Lift the plate in such a way that the dacquoise that has not stuck to the amaretto falls off.
2. Place the mock coffee sponge a little higher up. Just before serving, place a quenelle of amaretto ice cream on top of the dacquoise. Sprinkle it with cocoa powder and place the liquid cocoa croquant on top.
3. Sprinkle a little Demerara sugar over the mock coffee sponge.