Fruit and Nut Torte with Sorbet

Make ahead for a summer sweet treat – one that is very easy to sneak into the freezer and help yourself to a sliver. Outstanding Food Editor, Kathy Paterson, finds it refreshingly rich, preferring smaller servings, but serving portions are a guide and are up to you. 

Makes 3 x 10cm rounds

Serves 12

• ½ cup local, tart dried apricots

• ½ cup pitted dates

• ½ cup dried figs

• ¼ cup pistachio nuts or blanched almonds

• 2 tablespoons carob powder, plus extra for rolling

• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

• 1 teaspoon orange juice

• 270g frozen fruit sorbet or mango lassi gelato or ice cream, or thereabouts, slightly softened

• 3 teaspoons Jok n Al raspberry jam

• 250g fresh raspberries

• mint leaves, to garnish

• icing sugar for dusting, optional

Method

You will need 3 x 10cm shallow metal rings. Line a shallow metal tray with baking paper. This will be your base for the metal rings. Lightly grease and line the sides of the metal rings with baking paper and put in the metal tray. Or you could make one torte using a round springform cake pan.

Put the dried fruit and pistachio nuts in a food processor and process until they resemble coarse breadcrumbs. Add the carob powder, orange zest and juice and process for a further minute. Go easy on the orange juice otherwise the mixture is too sticky.

Divide the fruit and nut mixture into six pieces.  Put one piece between two sheets of baking paper and roll out until 10cm in width. If the mixture is a little sticky use some extra carob powder to remove from paper and put into the metal ring. Use the back of a spoon to flatten evenly within the metal ring. Repeat with two more pieces of mixture.

Divide the sorbet, mango lassi gelato or ice cream into three and spoon over your fruit and nut mixture base, then smooth the top. Cover metal tray and put all in the freezer to firm up, about one hour.

Roll out the remaining three pieces of fruit and nut mixture and put on top of each torte. Cover well again and put in the freezer for about 4 hours to freeze completely or leave overnight.

To serve, unmould from the metal rings and spread tops with the raspberry jam. Cut each one into four - they do cut well from frozen. Put on to small plates and top with fresh raspberries and mint leaves.

Dust with a smidgen of icing sugar, if wished. Serve straightaway.