- 200ml/7fl oz full-fat milk
- 70g/2½oz caster sugar
- 100g/3½oz egg yolks
- 200ml/7fl oz double cream
- 3 chocolate and peanut bars, chopped
- 200g/7oz fresh cherries, stones removed
- 200ml/7oz caster sugar
- 125g/4½oz unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 125g/4½oz dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)
- 35g/1¼oz ground almonds
- 4 free-range eggs, separated
- 100g/3½oz caster sugar
- 60g/2¼oz flour
- 200g/7oz white chocolate, melted
- 4 tbsp icing sugar
- 100g/3½oz toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- 8 sprigs chocolate mint (use normal mint if chocolate mint is unavailable)
- For chocolate bar ice cream, warm the milk in a saucepan until it reaches 80C/175F on a cook’s thermometer.
- Put the caster sugar and egg yolks into a bowl and whisk together, then pour the warm milk onto them, whisking all the time. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook until it reaches 83C/180F and thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and whisk in the double cream. Set aside to cool to 60C/140F, then stir in the chocolate bars and allow to melt.
- Transfer to an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until frozen.
- For the poached cherries, place the cherries, 200ml/7fl oz water and sugar in a large saucepan and cook for 6-8 minutes. The cherries should be soft but retain their shape. Allow to cool before serving.
- For the chocolate fondant, preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/Gas 7 and grease 8 dariole moulds with softened butter, using a pastry brush.
- Melt the butter and chocolate together in a heatproof bowl sat over a pan of gently simmering water. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and sugar for 2 minutes, or until they reach the ribbon stage (this is when the mixture leaves a trail on the surface the whisk is removed).
- Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture then fold in the flour, divide the mixture between the prepared moulds. Place on a baking sheet and cook for 8 minutes.
- To garnish, paint a line of melted white chocolate across the centre of each serving plate and dust with icing sugar.
- Turn out the hot fondants into the centre of each plate (on top of the white chocolate) and add some poached cherries. Place a quenelle of ice cream on the side and garnish with the chopped hazelnuts and chocolate mint.