Christmas in Australia is generally a pretty warm affair so desserts are often of the frozen variety.

Even if you are watching your waistline Carolyn Hartz and Sweetlife have your back. Sugar Free Baking is filled with fabulous recipes that you can try without undoing the hard yards because everyone deserves to have their cake and eat it too.

Entertaining family, friends or colleagues this delectable ice Cream cake is sure to be a hit.

Ice Cream Cake
Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS

• 2 vanilla pods
• 500ml milk
• 6 Large egg yolks
• 120g Perfect Sweet® xylitol

Raspberry Layer

• 100g raspberry or strawberry puree
• 30ml rosewater
• 200ml whipping cream

Vanilla Layer

• 200ml whipping cream

Chocolate Layer

• 100g Raw Dark Chocolate, or good quality sugar free dark chocolate, grated, plus extra to decorate
• 200ml whipping cream
• Fresh berries to decorate

METHOD

Line the base of a 17cm spring form baking pan with baking paper.
Open vanilla pods and with the blunt side of a knife, scrape the seeds into a saucepan. Add pods and milk and bring  to the boil. Remove from heat.
Using an electric beater, beat the egg yolks and xylitol in a bowl on high speed until pale and creamy.
Using a balloon whisk, gradually pour the boiling milk mixture over the egg mixture, while quickly whisking. Remove pods. Pour mixture back into the saucepan and heat gently, stirring constantly until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Raspberry Layer
Pour 200ml of the custard mixture into a bowl, add the raspberry puree, rosewater and cream. Mix well and refrigerate.

Vanilla Layer
Pour in 250ml of the custard mix into another bowl. Add the cream, mix well and refrigerate.

Chocolate Layer
Pour the remaining 200ml warm custard and the chocolate into a clean bowl and mix well. Add the cream and mix again. Refrigerate.

Follow the instructions on your ice cream maker to first churn the Raspberry Layer. Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth over with a spatula. Freeze.

Repeat for the Vanilla Layer then smooth mixture over the Raspberry Layer. Freeze.

Lastly, churn the Chocolate Layer. Spoon on top of Vanilla Layer and freeze, preferably overnight.

To serve, turn onto a serving dish and decorate with fresh berries and shaved chocolate.