Wendy Hays

When many of us think of Christmas desserts we think of Plum Pudding and Brandy Sauce, Trifle and Pavlova topped with our beautiful local berries.

This year my family will deviate from the usual rich pudding and celebrate the end of Christmas lunch with Frozen Chocolate Crunch.

Although this recipe is a little more complex than many I have offered, it can be made well in advance and brought out of the freezer half an hour or so to soften a little before serving.

I’m sure it will be a real hit with the younger members of my family.

Happy Christmas to all and let’s hope that this really is the season of goodwill and kindness to others.

Frozen Chocolate Crunch

Ingredients

• 125g or half a packet of butternut snap or coconut biscuits – coarsely crushed

• 125g hazelnuts – chopped coarsely

• 155g butter – softened

• 1 C icing sugar

• 3 eggs – separated

• 1 and ½ ts. vanilla

• 3 Tb Tia Maria or other liqueur

• 250g dark chocolate – melted and cooled

• About 2 litres of vanilla ice cream

Method

1. Prepare all ingredients and line a 24cm square or round tin or 24cm spring form tin with foil extending it up over the sides.

2. Spread the chopped nuts and coarsely crushed biscuits onto an oven tray and bake at 180C until toasted and starting to brown. Stir often during the toasting process. Once toasted, set aside to cool.

3. Cream the softened butter, icing sugar, vanilla and Tia Maria in the small bowl of an electric beater until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time.

4. Transfer mixture to a larger bowl and stir in the cooled, melted dark chocolate.

5. Beat up the egg whites in a small, clean, dry bowl using the electric beater and carefully fold the egg whites into the butter/egg/chocolate mixture.

6. Sprinkle half of the cooled biscuit/hazelnut mixture over the base of the prepared tin.

7. Carefully dot half of the butter/egg/chocolate mixture over the crumble and spread gently to cover.

8. Place in the freezer for half an hour to set a little.

9. Get the ice-cream out of the freezer to soften.

10. Using a metal spoon, dot and spread the ice-cream over the set butter/egg/chocolate layer. Use enough ice-cream to come up to about 2 cm from the top of the tin.

11. Working quickly, evenly spread the other half of the butter/egg/chocolate mixture over the ice-cream layer.

12. Sprinkle with remaining biscuit/hazelnut mixture pressing it down slightly into the layer below.

13. Cover securely with plastic wrap and freeze.

14. Serves 10-12 decorated with whipped cream and fresh berries if desired.