Strawberry & ice cream cake

Method

• step 1

  Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter the base and sides of a 20cm springform tin and line with baking parchment. Bring a pan of water to a simmer. Choose eight of the best-looking strawberries and set aside. Hull and slice the rest.

• step 2

  Crack the eggs into a large heatproof bowl, add the caster sugar and set over the simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Using an electric whisk, beat the eggs and sugar until thickened and doubled in size. Remove from the heat and continue to whisk for a few more minutes until the mixture holds a ribbon shape when the beaters are lifted out. Drizzle the butter in around the edges of the bowl and fold in using a large metal spoon, being careful not to knock out the air – stop as soon as there are no traces of butter. Sift in the flour and a large pinch of salt, and fold in. Gently pour the mixture into the prepared tin and give it a gentle tap on the work top to remove any big air bubbles. Bake undisturbed for 25 mins until golden brown. Leave to cool in the tin for 1-2 mins, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

• step 3

  Once ready to assemble, remove the ice cream from the freezer to soften for 5 mins. Clean the 20cm springform cake tin and pat dry. Cut the cake in half through the equator. Place the cake base on a sheet of baking parchment and carefully lift into the cleaned tin. Place the ring around the cake base and parchment, and clip into place. Once the ice cream has softened slightly, dollop the ice cream over the base and spread to the edge using a small spatula. To get an even, smooth surface, dip the spatula in a mug of boiling water and pat dry before using. Arrange the sliced strawberries on top, then sandwich with the top half of the cake Freeze overnight.

• step 4

  When ready to serve, halve the reserved strawberries. Put the cream in a large bowl and sift in the icing sugar. Whip using an electric whisk until the cream just holds its shape. Spoon a quarter of the mixture into a small piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Remove the cake from the freezer, remove the tin and put the cake on a serving plate. Spread the remaining cream over the top and sides, then pipe swirls of cream on top and decorate with the strawberry halves. Scatter over the freeze-dried strawberries and pistachios, if using. Slice with a sharp knife and serve immediately.