The tempting Cassata Ice Cream

Tarun Kapoor is executive chef at Doha’s Horizon Manor Hotel. Send your feedback to: exe.chef@horizonmanor.comCassata is a traditional Italian dessert from the port city of Messina. The traditional dessert consists of layers of sweetened ricotta cheese layered with chopped dry fruits and nuts. However some variations also replace the cheese with Italian gelato ice cream. In the following recipe, I have used the regular ice cream instead of gelato or ricotta cheese. The word Cassata is derived from the Arabic word Qasat which means a wide bowl. You can make Cassata and keep in your freezer for about a week and serve as required. The flavour, quality and layering of ice cream can be as per choice and one can be innovative while making it. Cassata Ice CreamFor SpongeIngredientsWhole eggs 6 noCastor sugar 1 cupsAll-purpose flour 2 cupBaking powder ½ tspVanilla essence few dropsFor cassataVanilla ice cream 500 mlStrawberry ice cream 500 mlGlazed fruits 150 gm(Red cherry, papaya, pineapple) Almond flakes to garnishMethodPre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.Sift the flour and baking powder together and keep aside.Whip sugar and eggs till light and fluffy, add vanilla essence.Fold the flour mixture into the creamed butter and sugar.Pour the mixture into a greased baking tray lined with baking paper.Bake for 20-25 minutes until a knife inserted in the sponge comes out clean.Remove and allow to cool, remove baking paper and slice into three layers. Line a cake tin with a thin layer of sponge and sprinkle some almond flakes on it.Slice the ice cream and place a 1-inch thick slab of vanilla ice cream on it. Add chopped glazed dry fruits and add another layer of strawberry ice cream.Cover with another sponge layer and allow to set in the freezer for 3-4 hours.Remove from freezer, de-mould and slice into desired thickness. Serve immediately garnished with chopped nuts or hot chocolate sauce.AvocadoAvocado is a fruit native to Mexico and Central America. It is a unique fruit which is entirely different from all other fruits in a way that it contains healthy fats as compared to mainly carbohydrates found in other common fruits. There are numerous studies also to prove the health benefits of avocados. The fruit is prized for its high nutritional value and is added to a variety of dishes owing to its unique flavour and rich texture, the most famous being guacamole. Avocado is considered a super food among the health conscious people. It is also sometimes called alligator pear because it tends to be shaped like a pear fruit and has green bumpy skin like an alligator. The yellow greenish fruit inside is eaten and the skin and seeds are discarded. Avocadoes contain around 20 different vitamins and minerals. There are many kinds of avocados and shape also varies from pear shaped to round and colour from dark green to black. The most popular variety is called Hass avocado. Like banana the avocado is a climacteric fruit, which means that it will mature on tree but ripens off the tree. Commercially, avocados are picked hard and green and are transported to their destination and then are allowed to ripen. Generally avocado is served raw although some varieties can be cooked for a short time before they turn bitter. Once cut, the flesh is prone to browning and it turns brown quickly on exposure to air. To avoid this lemon juice can be added to avocados after they are peeled to conserve their natural yellow greenish colour.Avocado and Shrimp SaladServes 2IngredientsHass avocado 2 noShrimps 300 gmOrange 2 noRomaine lettuce I headRed radish 50 gmDressingOlive oil 2 tbspLemon juice 2 tbspSalt to tasteBlack pepper to tasteCoriander, chopped 2 tbspMethodDevein and wash the shrimps and boil them in salted water till cooked.Drain and freshen them up with ice cubes and keep aside.Peel and thin slice avocado, wash and shred the lettuce and take out orange segments in a salad bowl.Add thin-sliced red radish also. In a separate bowl combine all the other ingredients for the dressing and mix well.Pour the prepared dressing in the salad bowl and toss gently.Put the salad in the serving salad bowl and place the shrimp on top and drizzle the remaining dressing on top and serve cold.