Halvah Ice Cream with Chocolate Sauce and Salted Peanuts

Makes a little less than 2 pints

Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi


INGREDIENTS
250 ml whipping cream
350 ml whole milk
1 vanilla pod (split lengthways and seeds scraped) or 1 tsp of vanilla paste
2 egg yolks
40g sugar
30g tahini paste*
100g halvah, diced into small cubes
60g roasted and salted peanuts,
roughly crushed

CHOCOLATE SAUCE
120ml whipping cream
80g finely chopped dark chocolate (70%)
1/2 tsp brandy

*You can also use peanut butter

MAKE THE ICE CREAM
Heat the cream, milk and vanilla pod and seeds in a medium saucepan until right before it starts to boil. Remove from the heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until combined. Use a ladle to spoon a little of the hot cream mixture into the eggs, whisking the whole time. Continue with more of the cream mixture until it is all incorporated.

Return to saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon continuously for 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens to a light custard consistency. Remove from the heat and whisk in the tahini. Leave to cool for 20 minutes; then remove the vanilla pod.

Refrigerate custard for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

Place the custard in an ice cream machine and churn for about 35 minutes, until semi frozen but still creamy. Remove from the machine and stir through the halvah pieces. Place in a pre-frozen container and freeze. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving to let it soften.

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE
Make the sauce just before serving. Place the cream in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Immediately pour this over the chopped chocolate and stir until soft and chocolate has melted. Stir in the brandy.

Divide the ice cream into bowls and pour over some warm chocolate sauce. Sprinkle with the peanuts and serve immediately.