Date Caramel
1. Cover and soak dates in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain from water.
2. Using a blender, add dates, vanilla and half the cream. Blend until smooth, adding more cream to thin to desired consistency. Refrigerate until required.
Date Crumble
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to coat in cinnamon. Set aside.
Date and Peanut Ice Cream
1. Line a 1.5 L loaf tin with a double layer of baking paper and clingwrap. Allow overhang for ease of removing finished ice cream from tin.
2. Pour softened ice cream into the tin to about 2cm deep. Tap the tin to smooth the top. Freeze for 30 minutes or until firm to touch.
3. Once firm, spread a layer of caramel onto the ice cream and even out then top with another 2 cm of softened ice cream. Freeze for another 30 minutes or until firm to touch.
4. Next, scatter a layer of crumble (using ¾ of the crumble) onto the ice cream, pushing gently down to create a dense layer.
5. Top with remaining ice cream, even out the top and place in the freezer to firm up for 6 hours or overnight.
6. To serve, turn out the ice cream cake onto a *cold platter, finish by piping the remaining date caramel across the top and finishing with a scatter of the date crumble. For extra flair add fresh edible flowers or zest of an orange.
Cooks Notes
1. Start this recipe at least one day in advance.
2. To slice, soak a sharp knife in hot water between slices.
*While Medjool dates are high in natural sugars, they are low on the glycemic index thanks to a balanced amount of soluble fiber. The complex carbohydrates found in Medjool dates are digested at a slower rate, making them a source of dietary fiber and releasing energy to the body over a longer period of time.
