Chocolate, Meringue and Berry Ice-Cream Temptress.

If you are looking for a wicked, delicious but super simple dessert for Valentine's Day - then this is the perfect temptation.

Once again, Nigella Lawson is responsible for tempting us with calories too good to refuse.

This decadent but simple dessert incorporates Liqueur, Dark Chocolate and ripe raspberries.

This is a NO-churn, NO ice-cream machine recipe.  

Almost no effort but lots of applause.

The addition of the liqueur and also the crushed meringues prevents the ice-cream from freezing solid, so, I am unable to suggest a Non-Liqueur option.

I bought strawberries instead of raspberries, this time, and although I scattered blueberries about the plate, it definitely needed the tang of raspberries – 

either fresh or a drizzled sauce or coulis. Fortunately Favourite Son returned from Sydney with a bottle of divine Raspberry Sauce – which I swiftly glooped all over the ‘Welcome Back’ dessert, and, as usual, plates were licked clean! Enjoy!

Serves 6 – 8 (delicate serves)

Preparation      15 minutes

Cooking            NIL

Freeze               8 hours – overnight

Serve                 5 minutes

Ingredients

300 ml    Thickened Cream

60 gram  Dark Chocolate (preferably 70% cocoa solids)

1   Tablespoon  (20ml)  Coffee Liqueur or Bundy Rum

90 – 100 gram packet of Meringue Nests (look like nests/cups, not domed triangle bites – too dry)

To Serve

250 gram fresh raspberries (preferably – or berries of your choice)

200 ml of Raspberry Sauce or Raspberry Coulis

100 ml of Thick chocolate sauce   (see Nigella’s recipe listed below) OR any good chocolate sauce

               NB   I did not need to use much of Nigella's Chocolate sauce – but your guests might like it as an option

Method

Line Loaf Tin (18x12x8cm approx) with double layer of clingwrap, ensuring the overhang will then cover the top of ice-cream later.

Chop the chocolate into quite small chunks and splinters (quickly so it does not melt/or get stolen)

Crush the meringues into very small crumbles (you can leave them in the packet to do this – just don’t be too heavy handed or the bag will pop and it will start snowing in your kitchen).

Whip cream until thick but still a little soft.

Fold the chopped chocolate and then the crumbled meringue into the cream.

Spoon the mixture into your prepared loaf tin.  Gently push down with a spatula to smooth top layer

Wrap and cover it completely with the clingwrap ensuring no air bubbles are trapped on top.

Then get some more clingwrap and completely wrap the entire loaf tin – just like a present – this will help prevent freezer burn on your precious dessert.

Place in freezer for 8 hours – overnight.

OPTION
You could also use some smaller Freezer-Proof, Airtight plastic lidded containers to freeze individual portions.
Just be sure the containers are freezer safe with a secure lid - as you don't want icy crystals to invade your dessert.  

To Serve

Unwrap the tin and peel plastic away from ice-cream. Use the overhang to lift it out.

Turn out onto a platter and decorate with berries. 

Drizzle some of the Raspberry Sauce and the Chocolate sauce(if you think so) (see below)

Serve remaining sauces separately in jugs for your guests to do with what they may.

Nigella’s Chocolate Sauce

250 ml     thickened cream

125 gram Dark Chocolate (70% cocoa solids) – very finely chopped

30  ml      Coffee Liqueur  or  Bundy Rum

Gently heat the cream and chocolate in a saucepan, whisking gently til the chocolate melts.  Do not boil. Gentle heat only.

Off the heat, gently whisk in the Liqueur.

Pour into a jug and whisk again if needed.

                                                                                          Enjoy!      Colleen