BAKLAVA ICE CREAM CAKE

BAKLAVA ICE CREAM CAKE

(Serves 8-10)

Difficulty level:            EASY

Prepping time:            1 hour

Baking time:                25 minutes

Freezing time:             Overnight

SYRUP

125 ml caramel dessert topping (USE ANY BRAND OF CHOICE)OR 250 ml soft brown sugar

100 ml water

50 ml   honey

10        cloves

1          cinnamon stick

BAKLAVA

150 g   pecan nuts OR walnuts, processed in food processor or chopped until very fine

10 ml   ground cinnamon

6          sheets phyllo pastry

80 g     butter

ICE CREAM

600 ml FIRST CHOICE vanilla velvet, chilled OR USE 2 liter tub of softened vanilla ice cream (brand of choice)

METHOD:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 28cm by 13cm by 10cm loaf tin with baking paper.
• Make the syrup by combining all the ingredients in a saucepan, stir and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Cool and keep aside
• Combine the chopped nuts and the cinnamon
• Brush 2 of the phyllo sheets with melted butter, stack and place on a greased baking tray. Sprinkle generously with half of the nuts and top with another 2 sheets of phyllo pastry. Repeat with the rest of the nuts and top with the last two melted butter brushed phyllo pastry sheets.
• Get the inside measurements of the loaf tin and cut the baklava into 2 pieces to fit the inside of the tin. Bake all the baklava for about 25 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Pour over the syrup as soon as it comes out of the oven.  Cool completely
• TO ASSEMBLE THE ICE CREAM CAKE: Whip the Vanilla velvet until thick and foamy.
• Spoon about one third of this mixture into the lined loaf tin and place in freezer for 30 minutes
• Top with one of the cut sheets of baklava and spoon over another third of the whipped velvet. Place in freezer for another 30 minutes.  Top with another sheet of the baklava and spoon over the rest of the whipped velvet.  Freeze overnight.
• TO SERVE: Unmould the cake onto a cold serving plate.  Garnish with the rest of the baklava  (break it into shards) and serve immediately