For me, the idea of a Bastani ice cream sandwich is about taking those middle eastern flavours and presenting them in a different form. The ice cream becomes the centrepiece, with the biscuit providing contrast through texture and warmth, creating something that feels nostalgic while still being contemporary. This dessert is a cross between an Australian classic “Maxibon” I experienced as a kid and a middle eastern twist, making it its own unique dessert.
Equipment
Makes 10 serves.
• Digital kitchen scales
• Measuring jug
• Large mixing bowls
• Small saucepan
• Digital probe thermometer
• Stand mixer with whisk attachment or electric hand mixer
• Silicone spatula
• Fine-mesh sieve
• Muslin cloth or clean tea towel for straining yoghurt
• Chinois or colander
• Whisk
• Baking paper
• Cling film
• Parfait mould, loaf tin or small freezer-safe container
• Freezer
• Small palette knife or spoon for portioning
Ingredients
Hung Yoghurt
650g Plain Greek yoghurt
Labne Base
400g – Labne (hung yoghurt)
250g – Thickened cream
1g – Salt
Sabayon/egg yolk mixture
120g – Egg yolk
110g – Sugar
40g – Water
40g – Glucose
Italian Meringue
40g – Water
80g – Egg white
140g – Sugar
GF chocolate biscuit
48g melted butter
120g brown sugar
80g egg whites
48g GF flour
5g cocoa powder
2g salt
Cacao crumb
150g – Milk Chocolate
30g – Almond meal
pinch Coffee ground
40g – Chopped roasted Hazelnut
5g Sea salt flakes
75g Off cuts of gf biscuit.
Method
1. Place the 650g Greek yoghurt into a muslin-lined chinois or fine sieve and strain under refrigeration. You need 400g of strained yoghurt (labne). (make sure you weigh this accurately as the parfait becomes Icey.
2. Prepare the labne base – Combine the labne, thickened cream and salt. Whisk until completely smooth and evenly incorporated. Keep refrigerated.
3. Prepare the sabayon/egg yolk mixture – Combine the sugar, water, and glucose in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and cook to 118°C.
4. Place the egg yolks into a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Begin whisking at medium speed.
5. Slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the whipping egg yolks while continuously whisking. Continue whipping until the mixture is thick, pale and cooled to room temperature in a separate bowl to the side.
6. Make the Italian meringue – Place the water and sugar into a saucepan and cook to 118°C. Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Slowly pour the hot syrup into the egg whites while continuously whisking. Continue whipping until the meringue is glossy, thick and cooled.
7. Combine – Gently fold the sabayon egg-yolk mixture through the labne base. Once smooth, carefully fold through the Italian meringue in stages, taking care not to knock out too much air.
8. Mould and freeze – Pour the mixture into lined moulds or a suitable container. Smooth the surface, cover and freeze until completely set. (overnight)
9. Place a clean chopping board in the fridge/freezer before portioning.
10. Using a sharp knife, cut your parfait into rectangles of approximately 15cm in length and 5cm in width, but if you have a mould or ring cutter you can set the parfait in, that is suitable as well, but you have to make sure you can cut the biscuits to suit your parfait to make a sandwich.
11. Place back into the freezer, and it is ready to go for the next stage.
12. GF Chocolate biscuit – Using your food processer, Blend melted butter, brown sugar, egg whites, GF flour, cocoa powder, place ingredients in the food processer for 1 minute until smooth.
13. Place into storage containers for a minimum of 2 hours before using in the fridge.
14. Pre heat your oven to 170degrees fan forced.
15. Once it is set, carefully Prepare trays – Line a flat baking tray with a silicone baking mat or baking paper.
16. Using a small offset palette knife or stencil, spread the mixture into a very thin, even layer. Keep the thickness consistent for an even bake.
17. Bake in a preheated oven at approximately 160–170°C until evenly golden and crisp, usually 6–10 minutes.
18. Remove from the oven and, while still hot and pliable, cut or shape the biscuit to the correct size to what shape you have.
19. Allow to cool completely. The biscuit will become crisp as it cools, but if it snaps, or breaks, for it to come back, you can just place it back into the oven to cut again, but don’t rush this stage. Keep the off cuts, as you use this for your crunch component of the recipe at the end.
20. Store in an airtight container with a food-safe desiccant if available. Keep away from moisture to maintain its crisp texture.
21. Cacao crumb – Pre heat oven to 160 degrees – Using a flat baking tray, lay out milk chocolate in an even layer over baking paper/Silpat.
22. Sprinkle almond meal evenly over top and dust generously with cocoa flour through tea strainer.
23. Bake at 160, medium fan for 6mins, then stir with heat proof rubber spatula and give another 6mins, stir with rubber spatula again, it should look like chocolate rocks.
24. Chill in the freezer until completely cold.
25. Using a mortar and pestle crush it into small-size chocolate rocks 3mm –5mm in size.
26. In a mortar and pestle, crush the off- cuts of biscuits and chop hazelnuts and dust in ground coffee and salt.
27. Remove parfait from the freezer, and add the one biscuit on your cold chopping board
28. Assemble – Place one biscuit on a chilled tray. Position the ice cream neatly in the centre and gently press the second biscuit on top to create an even sandwich.
29. Clean the edges – Use a small palette knife to remove any excess ice cream and ensure the edges are clean and uniform.
30. Place the assembled sandwiches onto a lined tray and return to the freezer until completely firm. Approx 10-15 mins.
31. Once frozen, trim or clean the edges if required and keep frozen until service.
32. Serve – Remove from the freezer shortly before serving to allow the ice cream to soften slightly while keeping the biscuit crisp.
33. Have your cacao crumb in a bowl or a tray and carefully roll the sandwich, so the white part presses against the crumb and sticks to the parfait.
34. . Serve the parfait cold but not completely frozen, allowing the parfait to soften and become creamy in texture.
35. Serve ice cream sandwiches individually or standing up on one plate, it is completely up to you on how you serve them and encourage them to use their hands to eat.
Tips: If you have left over crumb, you can store it in your freezer for another time and can use it for other pastry uses like cakes and ice cream/gelato toppings.
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