Cassata Icecream (Indian)

By Harini
This post was in due for more than 10 days.I felt this is a bit long post and was wondering how would I draft it, and finally today it is here :)I think most of us here in India have enjoyed a cassata slice at least once.A cassata ice cream in India is basically a layered dessert with a cake slice and 2-3 flavors of ice-cream with generous topping of roasted shredded nuts.For all these years I have known only this dessert named cassata,but there seems to equally popular or rather traditional I should say a cake from Italy Cassata cake and also according to wiki cassata may also refer to neopolitan ice cream.Ok now leaving behind all those research lets dig into this delicious dessert. As I said above I am big fan of cassata slice from Kwality walls and have been wanting to recreate it at home and I wanted it to be completely home made from scratch.So it took me 2 full days to put together this elegant dessert.I should say the effort really paid of,the ice cream slice was quiet cute and decadent leaving behind few unclean edges here and there.Hope you all don't mind that. Lets get in to the recipe

Cassata ice-cream-Indian style
Star ingredients-Sponge cake slice,2-3 flavors of ice cream
Time:Preparation-Around 1 hour,freezing-8 days
Yield :8-10 wedges 

Ingredients:
4-5 pieces of sponge cake
Coarsely chopped roasted nuts
Butter scotch,chocolate chips
Chocolate strands
Pistachio ice cream
250 ml whole milk
170 ml cream
60 grams sugar
1 table spoon pistachios powder
Almond-saffron ice cream250 ml whole milk
170 ml cream
60 grams sugar
1 table spoon almond powder
1/2 teaspoon saffron
Chocolate ice cream
250 ml whole milk
170 ml cream
40 grams sugar
2 table spoons nutella

Usually cassata is available in slices,but I used a round spring foam as my loaf tin is very small.
I adapted this recipe for basic ice cream mixture,Thank you Meeta for a very versatile recipe !
Method:
Almond-saffron ice cream
Mix all the ingredients in a thick bottomed vessel and mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.Then seal with a foil and freeze dor 4 hours.Now whip the entire mixture for 3 to 4 minutes at one minute gap,seal and return to freezer for 8 hours until set.
Pistachio ice cream
Mix all the ingredients in a thick bottomed vessel and mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.Then seal with a foil and freeze dor 4 hours.Now whip the entire mixture for 3 to 4 minutes at one minute gap,seal and return to freezer for 8 hours until set.
Chocolate cake
Mix all the ingredients in a thick bottomed vessel and mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.Then seal with a foil and freeze dor 4 hours.Now whip the entire mixture for 3 to 4 minutes at one minute gap,seal and return to freezer for 8 hours until set.
Egg-less sponge cake:
I just followed this recipe.Once cake is thoroughly cooled cut into 4-5 pieces.

Assembling cassata:
1.In a spring foam pan layer a foil.Now press the cake pieces to the bottom and leave it in freezer for 10 minutes.
2.Scoop almond ice cream and spread to the cake layer and make it smooth and even.Now add few chopped nuts.

3.Next add chocolate ice cream and spread it even.Add chocolate strands.
4.Repeat the same with pistachios ice cream and top up with generous portion of nuts,chips and chocolate strands.

5.Seal thoroughly with a foil and return to freezer.Freeze over night.
6.Next day gently unwrap and cut into neat wedges using a sharp knife.Serve and freeze any leftover wedges.
Notes:
1.You can assemble cassata using everything right from cake to ice creams from store if you are running short of time.Even you can use any cake crumbs or left over cake slices for this.
2.Though strawberry ice cream is mostly used in cassata, I dont like it much so I chose other flavors.
3.If you have a loaf tin that is recommended to use to make slices like in shop.
4.Repeat the process of freezing and whipping one more time if ice cream does not set properly.
5.We found this tasting even better the next day !