Prep time: 1 hour and 30 minutes, plus churning time.
Cook time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Serves 8-10.
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Ingredients
Chopped toasted walnuts, to decorate
Coconut pandan sorbet
600ml coconut milk
200ml coconut water
1/4 cup glucose syrup
100g palm sugar, grated
1/4 tsp salt
2 pandan leaves, tied in a knot
Tamarind date cake
200g pitted dates, chopped
250ml boiling water
50ml fresh espresso
2 tbs tamarind paste
280g plain flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
250g butter, chopped
150g dark brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 firm ripe pear, peeled, grated
White soy caramel sauce
280g caster sugar
100g butter, chopped
400ml coconut cream
1 tbs white soy sauce
Method
1. To make coconut pandan sorbet, place all ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Cook stirring until sugar melts and mixture is combined. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and set aside for pandan leaves to infuse. Cool to room temperature. Strain into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturers instructions.
2. Preheat oven to 180C.
3. To make cake, grease a 20cm square cake pan and line with baking paper.
4. Place dates, boiling water, espresso and tamarind paste in a processor. Set aside for 10 minutes.
5. Combine flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder in a bowl.
6. Process date mixture to form a smooth puree. Add butter and sugar. Process to combine. Add eggs. Process to combine. Sift in flour mixture. Process to combine. Add pear. Process to combine. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
7. Bake for about 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in pan. Remove from pan and cut into portions.
8. To make white soy caramel sauce, heat a non stick frying pan over medium heat. Add sugar and cook, stirring, until melted and a dark golden brown. Add butter, coconut cream and soy sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer until smooth, combined and thickened.
9. Place cake on serving plates and sprinkle with toasted walnuts. Serve with white soy caramel and coconut pandan sorbet.
Tip
On the day we used a block of tamarind pulp, but have used a puree here to make things more convenient.