I’m excited to share this Baklawa Ice Cream Cake recipe with you. Inspired by staring at leftover baklawa, I decided to turn it into the star ingredient rather than just a garnish. The rich, coffee-flavoured ice cream, combined with the unique crunch of baklawa, creates a delightful dessert that’s both complex and balanced.
I love incorporating Middle Eastern flavours into my desserts. The cardamom in this recipe beautifully complements the coffee ice cream, reminiscent of enjoying Lebanese coffee. If you love coffee desserts, be sure to check out my eye-catching coffee cake topped with crunchy toffee almonds, and the creamy mahalabia sponge cake with coffee-infused sponge fingers.
Store-bought baklawa works perfectly well in this recipe, and it often varies in size and filling. I used my homemade pistachio and apricot baklawa parcels, which added a delightful nutty and fruity element to the cake. Feel free to use your favourite type of baklawa.
Step 1. Prepare the Biscuit Base
Line 23 cm springform tin with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine the crushed Digestive biscuits with the melted butter until well mixed. Press the mixture firmly into the base of the prepared tin, ensuring an even layer. Chill the base in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
Step 2. Prepare the Chocolate-Coconut Layer
In a bowl, mix the melted plain chocolate with the flaked coconut. Allow the mixture to cool but not solidify. Stir in about a quarter of the coffee ice cream along with the ground cardamom until smooth and well combined. Spread this chocolate-coconut mixture evenly over the chilled biscuit base. Place the tin in the freezer to set this layer until firm.
Cut the baklawa - it doesn’t have to be finely crumbled; chunks add texture (reserve a few for garnish)
Step 3. Add the Baklawa Ice Cream Layer
Next, soften the remaining coffee ice cream by beating it with an electric mixer or whisk by hand. Gently fold in the crumbled baklawa pieces into the softened ice cream. Spread the baklawa ice cream mixture evenly over the set chocolate-coconut layer in the tin, smoothing the top with a spatula. Return the tin to the freezer and allow the entire cake to freeze until firm.
Step 4. Garnish and Serve
Before serving, remove the cake from the freezer and transfer it to the refrigerator about 30 minutes to soften slightly for easier slicing. Garnish the top of the cake with extra crumbled baklawa, flaked coconut, white chocolate pearls, whole rose petals, and slivered pistachios.
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