Carrot cake with white chocolate ice cream

Method

1. For the white chocolate ice cream: cream together the egg yolks and the sugar until white and stiff.

2. In a saucepan, combine the milk, milk powder and cream, and bring to the boil.

3. Pour some of the milk mixture onto the creamed eggs and sugar, whisking continuously. Continue to add the milk mixture in this way until it has all been incorporated.

4. Return the custard mixture to the saucepan and cook over a medium heat to 85C on a sugar thermometer or until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

5. Pass the custard through a sieve and then stir in the melted white chocolate.

6. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions.

7. When churned, transfer the ice cream to the freezer until needed.

8. Preheat the oven to 160C/gas 3. Line the bottom of a 26cm-diameter cake tin with baking paper.

9. Combine the oil, flour, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, eggs, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 5 minutes.

10. Stir in the grated carrot and walnuts.

11. Transfer the mixture to the prepared cake tin and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before removing and placing onto a cooling rack.

12. For the topping: beat the cream cheese, sugar and butter together in a mixing bowl until smooth and soft.

13. Spread the topping over the cooled cake using a palette knife.

14. To serve, slice the cake and accompany each serve with a scoop of white chocolate ice cream.