Eton mess ice cream sandwiches

Makes 8 Desserts and puddings

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Method

Place the ice cream in the fridge to soften slightly. Meanwhile, tip the frozen berries into a pan with the sugar and pop the lid on. Place over a low heat for 4-5 minutes, just long enough to defrost them and release their juices but not turn them to mush as you want them to hold their shape. Set aside to cool fully.

Decant the softened ice cream into large bowl and lightly stir in the berries and their juices.

Crumble in the meringue nests and stir. Line a 23cm x 23cm baking tray or cake tin that's at least 4cm deep with plenty of cling film. Pour in the ice cream and use a spatula to smooth the top. Cover the top with cling film and return to the freezer for 5-6 hours to set.

To make the biscuits, preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment. Put the butter and sugar into a bowl or strand mixer and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and mix well. Stir in the flour, cocoa powder and a good pinch of salt to form a ball of dough. Cut in half, then dust each piece with flour on both sides and roll out between two sheets of baking parchment into rectangles 3mm thick. Place these in the freezer for around 15 minutes to firm up - this makes it much easier to cut accurately.

Cut the chilled dough into 16 rectangles measuring 5cm x 9cm. Use a fork to prick the top of the biscuits. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets and bake for around 12 minutes or until firm. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

When the ice cream filling is fully set, flip it out of its tin onto a board and cut it into rectangles the same size as the biscuits. Sandwich together as many bars as you wish to serve immediately. Store any unused biscuits in an airtight container for up to 1 week, and sandwich them together with the ice cream filling as and when you want. Best served with a paper napkin on a hot day.