Melon and chocolate ice cream bombe

• By Claire Borg

For 4 people, you will need:

A piece of thin chocolate sponge 15cm x 25cm, 70g of sugar, 200g of dark chocolate, 300ml of cream, 250ml of milk, the yolks of four eggs, 150g of dark chocolate-chips, 100g of melon pulp (melon processed until smooth).

Melt the dark chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat. Add 100ml of cream and stir. Remove the pan from the heat and spread a thin layer over the sponge. Roll up the sponge, wrap it in baking-paper or cling-film and freeze it. To make the ice cream, warm up the milk and 200ml of cream until it is very hot. Take care not to allow it to reach boiling-point, or it will curdle. In a separate bowl, using a hand-whisk, mix the egg-yolks and sugar. Add a bit of the hot milk/cream mixture and continue whisking. Then pour this into the saucepan with the remaining milk/cream mixture. Using a long-handled spatula, constantly mix and scrape the bottom of the pan, to prevent the mixture from sticking. Do this over low heat. Cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring constantly until the milk thickens – but again, don’t allow it to boil. Place the mixture in a sealable container and freeze it until it sets. Meanwhile, remove the sponge roll from the freezer, cut it into discs and line the inside of a ‘zuccotto’ or pudding-mould by placing the discs one near each other, trying not to leave gaps in between. Remove the ice cream from the freezer, and with an electric whisk beat it so that air is incorporated and it fluffs up. Fold in the melon pulp and chocolate chips, and pour it all into the sponge-lined mould. Put it into the freezer for three to four hours or until it sets. Before serving, turn it out onto a dish and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting it.