You need to start with the meringue. Place
the whites in a mix master and then beat until they form soft
peaks. Keep beating, add half the sugar and continue beating
until you have reached stiff peaks, and the whites look glossy.
Add the remaining sugar and beat for 3 minutes.
Pre-heat your oven to 140°
C (250° F). Depending on the mold you have chosen - a
round cake tin or rectangular terrine, this will determine
the shape to cook your meringues in. Lay out a large sheet
of non-stick baking paper and trace a line around the base
of your mold - circular for the ice
cream cake tin or rectangular for the terrine.
The cake tin should be 22 cm in diameter, and the terrine
should be roughly 30 cm X 8 cm X 8 cm. You need not worry
if they are a little larger or smaller – all it should
still work out. Place the egg whites into a piping bag and
pipe a thin (1 cm) layer of meringue to fit the shapes you
have traced - you will need 2 identical shapes. Place the
meringues into a oven and cook for 1 hour, or until they are
crunchy and brittle. Turn of the oven, and allow the meringues
to cool in the oven.
For the breadcrumbs, place the bread and
then sugar into a food processor and whiz until the bread
is finely chopped up. Scatter onto the larger baking sheet
- in a single thin layer, place into the oven - turned up
to 120° C (325° F). Cook until they are golden and
crunchy, around 20 - 30 minutes.
Line the base and then sides of the mold
with kitchen foil; making sure that the foil is tight and
flush with the sides. Place the cream and then icing sugar
for the cream coating into a mix master and beat to soft peaks.
Using a rubber kitchen spatula, carefully paint the thin layer
of whipped cream onto the base and then sides of the mold.
Aim for around 2 - 3 millimeters. Place the lined mold and
then allow the ice cream mix to set for at
least an hour. All of the above steps can be done well in
advance.
For the best
ice cream, place the cream and milk into a small
saucepan and bring gently to the simmer. In a large bowl,
beat together the yolks and caster sugar. Once the cream has
reached simmering point, then pour directly onto the yolks
and immediately whisk well to combine. Return this mixture
to the rinsed out saucepan and set over a low heat. Stir the
custard constantly until it thickens and coats the spoon.
Remove from the heat and add the golden syrup. Stir well and
allow cooling. Add the cooled custard to your ice cream machine
and churn until it is just set, then add the breadcrumbs.
Churn for few minute more to incorporate the breadcrumbs.
To assemble the gateau, spoon 1/3 of the
greater ice cream onto the base of the mould and smooth out
the surface. Top with 1 sheet of meringue, then spoon over
another third of the ice cream, once again smoothing the surface.
Top with the remaining ice cream and wrap the gateau tightly
with cling film. Place in the freezer and allow setting for
at least 12 hours. The gateau can be left in the freezer now
for at least 6 weeks. Here is a cross section of how it should
look in a rectangular terrine.
