Beetroot chocolate cake with burnt caramel ice cream

Method

1. First make the ice cream. Put the caster sugar and 50ml water in a saucepan. Heat gently over a low heat without stirring until the mixture darkens and caramalises. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a bowl until fluffy.

2. When the caramel is just beginning to smell burnt, pour in the cream and then the milk, whereupon the caramel will harden. Reduce the heat and cook gently, stirring with a wooden spoon until the caramel has dissolved into the pan.

3. Cook the caramel mixture gently over a low heat, stirring constantly, until a line drawn on the back of the spoon holds.

4. Immediately pour the caramel mixture back into the egg yolk bowl. Leave to cool and then churn in an ice cream maker, following manufacturer's instructions, or pour into an ice-tray and freeze, whisking every 20 minutes or so until set.

5. Freeze the ice cream in the freezer for 4 hours before serving.

6. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Grease a 25cm spring-release cake tin and dust it with cocoa powder.

7. To make the cake, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water.

8. Meanwhile, lightly beat the eggs with the sugar and oil in a large mixing bowl, then gradually beat in the beetroot puree. Stir in the melted chocolate.

9. Sift the cocoa, flour and bicarbonate of soda over the surface and mix in thoroughly.

10. Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes or until the centre springs back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

11. While the cake is cooling make the ganache. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the cream almost to boiling point, then pour over the chocolate. Beat together until the chocolate has melted into the cream making a ganache.

12. While the ganache is still warm use it to ice the chocolate cake. Set aside to cool and harden.

13. Serve the cake with the ice cream.