Reminiscing about the amazing desserts we had on our Tasting Room menu last year, this carrot cake and walnut ice cream was a stand out winner. We used some fabulous fresh British carrots from and one of my favourite foraged herbs, meadowsweet (but you can of course just use the carrots you have and spice the syrup with cinnamon). If you don’t want to make the ice cream which requires an ice cream maker, you can either add a dollop of whipped cream or shop-bought vanilla ice cream alongside.

INGREDIENTS

For the carrot cake:

125g plain flour

125g wholemeal flour

25g baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

100g desiccated coconut ground

5 eggs

260g golden sugar

175g pomace oil

500g grated red carrots (or other)

100g raisin

For the carrots in Meadowsweet:

You can use the meadowsweet syrup when it is in season otherwise spice it up with household spices like cinnamon or star anise.

500g caster sugar

500ml water

100g dried meadowsweet

For the frosting:

125g goats curd or cream cheese

380g icing sugar

250g soft butter

For the walnut ice cream:

500ml milk

500ml  double cream

12 egg yolks

250g sugar

150g walnuts roasted

METHOD

  1. Starting with the meadowsweet syrup which you may want to prepare the night before, bring the sugar and water to the boil and then remove from the heat. Add the meadowsweet (or alternative) and leave to infuse over night. Cover in a muslin cloth and reserve.
  2. The following day, slice the carrots finely and poach in the syrup.
  3. For the carrot cake, line and grease a 12 inch cake tin.
  4. Whisk up the eggs, sugar and oil until doubled in volume then combine the remaining carrot cake ingredients into the egg mixture.
  5. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake at 180c for 40 minutes and then cool on a wire rack.
  6. Whilst the cake is in the oven, whip together all of the frosting ingredients to make the topping and add to the top of the cake once the cake has cooled.
  7. For the walnut ice cream, roast and blitz the walnuts into a smooth paste.
  8. Scald the milk and cream together.
  9. Separately, whisk the eggs and sugar.
  10. Pour the milk and cream mixture over the egg mix and whisk, returning to the heat and cook until thickened and coats a spoon.
  11. Add the walnut paste and chill over night.
  12. Finally, churn in an ice cream machine.
  13. Plate a slice of cake with the accompanied ice cream to serve.

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