Saffron ice-cream sandwiches

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Makes 12 sandwiches

For the ice-cream

Step 1
Heat the oven to 160C/320F/gas mark 2½.

Step 2
Spread out the almonds on an oven tray, bake for eight minutes, then set aside to cool and roughly blitz in a food processor.

Step 3
Set aside until serving (if making ahead, store in an airtight container).

Step 4
Turn up the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

Step 5
Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and half a teaspoon of salt.

Step 6
Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of a food mixer with the paddle attachment in place.

Step 7
Beat on a high speed for about three minutes, until pale, then add the vanilla and mix to incorporate.

Step 8
Turn the speed to low, add a third of the flour mix, and mix to incorporate.

Step 9
Add half the milk, mix to combine, then repeat with first another third of the flour mix, then the remaining milk and finally the rest of the flour.

Step 10
Mix until just combined: the dough will be soft, but not sticky.

Step 11
Transfer the dough to a lightly-floured work surface and knead until smooth.

Step 12
Divide in two and set half to one side.

Step 13
Roll the remaining piece of dough to 3mm thick, then cut out discs with an 8cm round cookie cutter.

Step 14
Arrange these inside a plastic container, keeping them apart from each other with baking parchment, otherwise they’ll stick.

Step 15
Repeat with the remaining dough.

Step 16
Re-roll any offcuts, so that you can make 24 biscuits in total, then freeze the discs for at least 15 minutes.

Step 17
To bake, arrange the discs on two oven trays lined with greaseproof paper, and bake for six minutes, until firm on the outside but still a little soft in the centre.

Step 18
Remove the tray from the oven and set aside for five minutes, then transfer the biscuits to a rack to cool completely.

Step 19
Transfer the biscuits to an airtight container freeze until ready to use.

Step 20
For the ice-cream, put the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

Step 21
Put the milk, cream, vanilla (seeds and pod) and saffron in a medium saucepan on a medium heat.

Step 22
Warm through for three to four minutes, until little bubbles start forming on the surface, then slowly pour half the hot milk into the eg yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until smooth.

Step 23
Pour the contents of the bowl into the saucepan with the remaining milk, return to a medium-low heat and cook for eight to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon.

Step 24
Remove from the heat, discard the vanilla pod, transfer the mix to a bowl and set aside to cool.

Step 25
Once cool, churn in an ice-cream machine until soft waves appear.

Step 26
Keep the ice-cream churning (to prevent it melting), then take two frozen biscuits at a time and spoon about 50g ice-cream on one biscuit and place the other biscuit on top, smooth side up.

Step 27
Gently squeeze together the biscuits, just so the ice-cream comes out to the edges of the biscuits, then run the tip of a teaspoon between the two biscuits, to smooth off and remove any excess ice-cream.

Step 28
Give the biscuits one final squeeze, so the ice-cream sits evenly inside them, then transfer to a container and freeze.

Step 29
Repeat with the remaining biscuits and ice-cream.

Step 30
Let the filled sandwiches freeze for at least six hours before serving (and for up to a month).

Step 31
Just before serving, remove the sandwiches from the freezer, so the edges of the ice-cream soften a little.

Step 32
Spread out the blitzed almonds on a flat plate, roll the exposed ice-cream in the nuts and serve.