Apple flavoured ice cream sandwiches made with hot cross buns. Suitable for vegans.
Hot Cross Buns:
375g Strong White Flour
175ml Almond Drink
25g Caster Sugar
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp Ground Ginger
7g Yeast
75g Coconut Oil, melted
140g Berry Mix
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 Apple, peeled and grated
Crosses:
50g/2oz Plain Flour
5 tbsp Cold Water
Glaze:
50ml Maple Syrup, warmed
Ice Cream:
4 x Bananas, sliced and frozen
2 tbsp Almond Drink
2 x Braeburn Apples, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
50g Demerara Sugar
2 tbsp Water
½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp Vanilla Extract
In a saucepan, warm the almond drink and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and ensure that the almond milk is warm and not hot, then add in the yeast. Leave for a couple of minutes until the liquid has bubbled slightly (this shows the yeast is alive).
In a large bowl, mix the flour, cinnamon, ginger, mixed dried fruit, grated apple and lemon zest. Next add the melted coconut oil and almond drink mixture into the bowl. Mix until a dough has formed and then knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth and stretchy.
Leave to rise for 1 to 2 hours until doubled in size. When risen, knock the air out of the dough and knead for a couple more minutes. Divide into 12 equal balls and leave, covered loosely with cling film, on a lined baking tray to rise again for 20 minutes until doubled in size.
Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas Mark 7.
Mix the flour and water to create a paste and pipe crosses on top of the hot cross buns using this mixture.
Bake for 20 minutes until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped on the base.
Brush the warm maple syrup over the hot cross buns and then leave to cool.
Next, make the ice cream. Place the apple, water and sugar into a pan and cook on medium-high for 5 to 10 minutes until the apple has softened and the sugar has caramelised.
Place the frozen bananas, almond drink, cinnamon and vanilla extract into a blender and blitz for a couple of minutes until smooth. Then stir the apple mixture through the banana ice cream. Pour into a storage tub and freeze for another hour until hardened.
To serve, slice the hot cross buns in half and lightly toast, then sandwich a spoonful of the ice cream into the centre. Serve immediately.
