Chocolate and peanut mousse cake with gingerbread ice cream

For the ice cream, combine the milk, cream and vanilla pod in a pan and bring to the boil. Set aside for 30 minutes to infuse

Bring the sugar syrup to the boil, turn down the heat and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Place the egg yolks into a blender/food processer and add the hot syrup, leaving the motor running. Mix well. Add the ice cream stabiliser and blend

Set the Thermomix to 80°C and process for 8 minutes at speed 4. Alternatively, place in a saucepan and bring to 80°C, stirring continuously - be careful not to scramble the mix

Once cooked, transfer to a cold bowl set over ice water, stir to chill

Once chilled, transfer to an ice cream maker and crumble in a liberal amount of stale gingerbread into the mix with the blade moving. The bread will break up in the machine, add more if you want more gingerbread in the ice cream

For the mousse, place the sugar, pectin and eggs in a Thermomix set to speed 4, process until the temperature reaches 60°C. This process can be achieved without a Thermomix: place the same ingredients into a bain-marie (with a metal mixing bowl) over gently simmering water, whisk continuously until a Swiss meringue forms - this may take some time

Add gelatine and whisk to combine

Mix the peanut butter with the boiling water in a bowl, allow to cool. Add the cream and then fold this mixture into the Swiss meringue mixture

For the cake, line a 36cm x 26cm X 7cm tin with baking paper then brush with melted butter and dust with ground almonds

Place the chocolate, caster sugar, butter and salt into a bowl set over gently simmering water to melt

Whisk the eggs with the ground almonds and then fold into the chocolate mixture. The mixture will thicken after a few minutes

Preheat the oven to 175˚C/gas mark 3. Pour the cake mix into the lined cake tin and bake for 25 minutes, or until the edge of the cake starts to come away from the tin. Remove from the oven and press gently with a palette knife to flatten. Set aside to cool

Once cool, use a knife to gently break up the surface of the cake - this will help the peanut mousse stick. Spread on the peanut mousse and smooth over with a palette knife. Chill for at least 3 hours

For the glaze, boil the water and sugar in a pan. Whisk in the cocoa powder and cream and bring back to boil. Turn down the heat and gently simmer for 5 minutes

Remove from the heat and add the gelatine and chocolate. Whisk until dissolved and pass the mix through a sieve

Allow to cool for 10 minutes and pour over the mousse, ensuring the top of the cake is covered

Dip a knife into hot water and slice the cake into 15 even portions. Serve each slice with a scoop of the gingerbread ice cream and a drizzle of the chocolate glaze