I have dragged this from the depths of the annals of Pane Amore e Cha Cha Cha as it deserves its new time in the spot light. This is ridiculously easy to make and you can kinda make as many layers as you want – just add more of one thing or another.

Ingredients

65ml espresso/strong black coffee
30ml marsala/sherry or Kahlua
A packet of sponge fingers, you may or may not use them all
Some vanilla ice cream, I used a tub of Yeo Valley Organic Madagascan Vanilla or about half of one batch of this home made stuff
About 50g of grated dark chocolate – but I now use hot chocolate flakes which makes the job SO MUCH NICER.

Line small loaf tin (about 6″ x 4″) with some parchment paper. 

All you do is mix together the coffee and liqueur. It’s easier if you put it into a shallow bowl. Then briefly dip each sponge finger in, front and back, and lay into the tin. When you’ve covered the base then spread on the ice cream – if you’ve made home made ice cream it’s wonderfully easy to do this at the point of making as it will be ‘soft serve’, otherwise just let your ice cream chambré a bit before using.

On top of the ice cream layer sprinkle on the chocolate flakes, then repeat: soaked sponge fingers, ice cream, chocolate. Finish with either a layer of soaked sponge fingers or ice cream/chocolate flakes. See how you go.

Cover the tin with cling film and freeze. I like to slice these about three hours after it’s been in the freezer so when you want one you can just coax it away from its mothership and easily have a slice. It can become difficult to slice if it’s been in the freezer for ages few days. But if you plan to serve it as a whole dessert then turn it out and leave it at room temperature (I mean be sensible here if it’s 40C then give it less time) for about 15 mins, slice and serve!