Dessert  Recipes - Maraschino Ice Cream Gateau Recipe

Ingredients

• 100 g/4 oz/1 cup self-raising flour

• 2.5 ml/1/2 tsp baking powder

• 100 g/4 oz/1/2 cup caster (superfine) sugar

• 100 g/4 oz/1/2 cup soft tub margarine

• 2 eggs

• A few drops of almond essence (extract)

• Oil, for greasing

• 200 g/7 oz/1 small jar of maraschino cherries

• 10 scoops of any vanilla ice cream

• 450 ml/2 cups whipping cream, whipped

• Whole blanched almonds, toasted, to decorate

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Method:

1. Put the flour, baking powder, sugar, margarine, eggs and almond essence in a food processor and run the machine until the mixture is smooth, or beat in a bowl until smooth.

2. Turn into a greased 20 cm/8 in loose-bottomed cake tin (pan). Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5 for about 25 minutes or until the centre springs back when lightly pressed.

3. Turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool. Drain the cherries, reserving the syrup. Reserve 10 cherries for decoration and chop the remainder.

4. Split the cake in half. Put the base half back in the cake tin and sprinkle with a little of the maraschino syrup. Press the ice cream evenly on top. Cover with the chopped cherries.

5. Press the other half of the cake on top and sprinkle with a little more of the maraschino syrup. Press down firmly. Cover the tin with foil and freeze until firm.

6. Turn the frozen cake out on to a serving plate. Smother with whipped cream. Decorate with the reserved cherries and almonds. Freeze again until firm.