It’s August, which means it’s my birthday month, and I’ll be celebrating with this super-simple sundae. There was a point in my life when I ate dried apricots all the time. When I finally tasted a fresh one, it blew my mind. It was so summery and fresh, which is why apricots are taking centre stage here (cooked with spices and balsamic vinegar). Pick up some of your favourite vanilla ice-cream, top it off with the best pistachio cookie crumble and some dark chocolate sauce, and you’ve got yourself a happy sundae.
Apricot crumble ice-cream sundae
Prep 30 min
Chill 20 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 4
500g vanilla ice-cream
100g dark chocolate (I use 70% cocoa solids), melted
For the crumble
90g unsalted butter, softened
45g golden caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
115g plain flour
50g raisins
50g pistachios, roughly chopped
For the apricots
50g unsalted butter
10 apricots, stoned and quartered
100g light brown sugar
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cardamom
For the rose whip
300ml double cream
½ vanilla extract
¼ tsp rose extract
First, make the crumble. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl, add the flour, raisins and pistachios, and mix until a dough forms.
Shape into a log measuring about 5cm widthways, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4.
Slice the log into 1cm-thick discs and put on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 15 minutes, leave to cool a little on the tray to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, crush half the biscuits and leave the rest whole.
Heat a frying pan or skillet over a medium-high heat, and melt the butter. In a large bowl, combine the apricots, sugar, vinegar, vanilla and spices, then gently toss. Put the apricot mix in the pan, and cook for 10 minutes, until the fruit starts to fall apart. Leave to one side to cool.
In another bowl, whip the cream, vanilla and rose extract using a whisk or electric mixer, until just whipped.
To assemble, put two generous scoops of ice-cream in four sundae glasses or small bowls. Sprinkle with the crushed cookies, then add the cooked apricots. Top each one with a dollop of rose cream, wedge in a cookie and drizzle with the melted chocolate.
