Chefs' Recipes

Lorraine Godsmark's peachy panettone with cassata ice-cream

Lorraine Godsmark recipe for peachy panettone with cassata ice-cream for Gourmet Institute.

By Lorraine Godsmark
  • 1 hr 30 mins preparation
  • 30 mins cooking plus cooling, setting, chilling, freezing
  • Serves 10
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Peachy panettone with cassata ice-cream
Start this recipe two days ahead to make the ice-cream.

Ingredients

  • 500 gm panettone (about ½) cut into 10 wedges
Cassata ice-cream
  • 300 ml pouring cream
  • 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind (from about 1 lemon)
  • ½ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
  • 90 gm egg yolks (about 5)
  • 110 gm (½ cup) caster sugar
  • 95 gm (½ cup) sultanas, soaked overnight in 250ml amaretto, covered
  • 250 gm firm ricotta
  • 110 ml double cream
  • 1½ tbsp roasted coarsely chopped pistachios
  • 1½ tbsp roasted coarsely chopped natural almonds
  • 1¼ tbsp diced glacé orange
  • 1 tbsp diced cedro (see note)
Peach jelly
  • 1¼ tsp agar-agar (see note)
  • 20 gm caster sugar
  • 6 gold-strength gelatine leaves, softened in cold water for 5 minutes
  • 500 gm peach purée (see note)
Amaretto Anglaise
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 25 gm caster sugar
  • 100 ml pouring cream
  • 65 ml milk
  • 25 ml amaretto
Chocolate sauce
  • 50 ml pouring cream
  • 55 ml milk
  • 10 gm (1½ tsp) liquid glucose
  • 40 gm dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped

Method

Main
  • 1
    For cassata ice-cream, bring cream to the boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in rind and vanilla, transfer to a bowl placed over a bowl of ice, stir occasionally until cool (10 minutes), then cover and refrigerate overnight to infuse. Strain cream mixture into a bowl (discard rind), scrape any seeds from vanilla bean into cream (discard bean), then return to saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Whisk yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl until creamy and light (2-3 minutes), stir in cream mixture, then return to pan and stir continuously over low heat until mixture coats the back of a spoon and reaches 82C on a sugar thermometer (4-6 minutes). Strain into a bowl placed over ice and stir occasionally until cool. Meanwhile, drain sultanas, reserving amaretto. Pulse ricotta and cooled custard in a food processor until very smooth, stir in cream and amaretto, then churn in an ice-cream machine. Add sultanas, nuts and glacé fruit, stir to combine, transfer to an airtight container and freeze overnight. Makes 1 litre.
  • 2
    For peach jelly, you'll need 10 side plates about 14cm in diameter with a lip to hold jelly, sprayed with oil to prevent jelly sticking. Bring agar-agar and 100ml water to the boil in a small saucepan, stirring continuously, over high heat. Remove from heat, add sugar, then squeeze excess water from gelatine, add to pan and stir to dissolve. Stir in peach purée, transfer to a jug, then pour onto plates to 4mm deep, shaking plates to level mixture. Stand at room temperature to set (15 minutes), then refrigerate to chill and set completely (40-45 minutes).
  • 3
    For amaretto Anglaise, whisk yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Bring cream and milk to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat (1-2 minutes), add to yolks, stirring continuously, then return to saucepan and stir over low-medium heat until custard thickens and reaches 82C on a sugar thermometer (5-7 minutes). Strain into a bowl placed over ice, stir occasionally until cool (6-8 minutes), then add amaretto, stir to combine and refrigerate until required.
  • 4
    For chocolate sauce, bring cream, milk and glucose to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat (2 minutes). Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl, add cream mixture and stand until chocolate starts to melt (2-3 minutes), then stir with a whisk until smooth. This is more chocolate sauce than you need, but leftovers will keep refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 1 week and can be used for ice-cream sundaes.
  • 5
    To assemble, cut out two 4cm circles with a cutter from each plate of jelly (discard discs). Spread 1 tbsp amaretto Anglaise onto 10 cooled serving plates in a 14cm circle. Place jelly on top, then place a wedge of panettone cut-side up on jelly beside holes. Spoon chocolate sauce into one hole, a scoop of cassata ice-cream into the other and serve.

Notes

Note Cedro is the glacé fruit of the citron tree, available from Simon Johnson, David Jones and select delicatessens. Agar-agar is a setting agent derived from seaweed and is available from health-food shops. Peach purée is available from The Essential Ingredient. If it's unavailable, poach 4 large peaches covered in a light sugar syrup (330gm caster sugar and 6 cups water) over low heat until tender (10-12 minutes), drain, discard skin and stone, purée flesh, then pass through a sieve.