Delicious combinations

Hazelnut and Chestnut Torte
sprinkled with chocolate and accompanied with a homemade Vanilla and Raisin Ice Cream

Wine suggestion: 10-year-old Tawny Port

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Torte:

115g butter, softened to room temperature, plus extra for tin
60g Hazelnuts
60g of Chestnuts
125g sugar
4 large free-range or organic eggs, separated
Zest of 1 orange
30g plain flour
125g ricotta cheese
A pinch of salt
3 heaped tablespoons jam, preferably apricot
50g oz best-quality cooking chocolate finely grated

For the Ice Cream:

400ml of double cream
1 Vanilla Pod
1-paired rind of lemon
3 eggs
1.5 egg yolks
116g caster sugar
100g raisins
2 tbsps dark rum

Preparation:

For the Hazelnut and Chestnut Torte:

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Butter a 28cm loose-bottomed flan tin or cheesecake mould, line it with greaseproof paper and place it in the fridge.

Put the hazelnuts and chestnuts on to a baking tray and roast in the oven for about 5 minutes until lightly golden.

Allow to cool, then bash the nuts up in a tea towel using a rolling pin, or put in a food processor until the nuts turn to a fine powder.

Beat the butter and sugar together either in the food processor, or in a bowl with a whisk, until pale.

Add the egg yolks one by one, and the orange zest. Sieve in the flour, crumble in the ricotta and stir in the powdered hazelnuts and chestnuts.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are really stiff, then fold them slowly into the hazelnut and chestnut mixture.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake in the preheated oven for around 25-30 minutes until there is a little colour on the top of the torte. You can check to see that it's ready by sticking a cocktail stick into the centre of the torte - it should come out clean and not sticky.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. While it's cooling, place the jam in a little pan with 4 tablespoons of water and bring this slowly up to the boil. Brush this over the top of the torte and, when cool, sprinkle with the grated chocolate. Serve with the homemade Vanilla and Raisin Ice-cream.

For the Homemade Vanilla and Raisin Ice Cream:

Place the cream in a heavy-based saucepan and heat gently, whisking.

Add the vanilla pod, lemon rind, eggs and egg yolks to the pan and heat until the mixture reaches just below boiling point.

Reduce the heat and cook for 8-10 minutes, whisking the mixture continuously, until thickened.

Stir the sugar, raisins and rum into the cream mixture, set aside and leave to cool.

Strain the cream mixture through a sieve (strainer).

Slit open the vanilla pod, scoop out the tiny black seeds and stir them into the cream.

Pour the mixture into a shallow freezing container with a lid and freeze overnight until set. Serve the ice cream when required.