Caramel vanilla and gingerbread yule log

VANILLA ICE CREAM
Soften the gelatine in a bowl of fresh water. Remove the seeds from the vanilla pod using the tip of a knife.

Place the vanilla seeds and pod in a saucepan with the milk and the ALSACE LAIT crème fraîche from Alsace for pouring.

Using a cooking thermometer, heat to 90°C and leave to infuse for 40 minutes.

Add the egg yolks and sugar. Mix well. Cook at 85°C, stirring constantly. Remove the vanilla pod and add the gelatine leaf, stirring until it has completely dissolved. Leave to cool at room temperature.

Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and place in the freezer overnight.

CARAMEL ICE CREAM
Soften the gelatine in a bowl of fresh water.

Pour the liquid caramel into a saucepan, add the milk and the ALSACE LAIT crème fraîche from Alsace for pouring. Using a cooking thermometer, heat the mixture to 90°C.

Leave to cool.

Add the egg yolks and sugar. Mix well. Cook at 85°C, stirring constantly. Add the gelatine and stir until completely dissolved.

Leave to cool at room temperature.

Place the mixture in ice cube trays and freeze overnight.

GINGERBREAD
Preheat your oven to 180°C.

Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Pour the sugar, milk and ground mixed spice into the bowl of a food processor.

Add the honey, flour, baking powder and eggs. Mix well. Pour the mixture onto the baking tray and bake for 20 minutes.

Set aside to cool, covered with a tea towel.

The next day, in the bowl of a food processor with a blade attachment, mix the vanilla ice cream cubes. Then whisk the ice cream to blend, increasing the speed slightly until you have a creamy ice cream.

Set aside in an ice-cream tray and return the vanilla ice cream to the freezer.

Do the same with the caramel ice cream cubes.

ASSEMBLING THE LOG.
Place the vanilla ice cream in a frozen yule log mould, making sure you cover the sides of the mould evenly with the ice cream.

Return to the freezer between stages.

Place the caramel ice cream in the mould on top of the vanilla ice cream.

Cut a strip of gingerbread the same length as the mould and place it on top of the ice cream layers. Smooth out with a palette knife.

Return to the freezer overnight.

Cut the remaining gingerbread into small cubes to decorate.

Make caramel drops (optional) by caramelising 50 g of caster sugar in a non-stick frying pan. Drizzle the hot caramel drop by drop onto a sheet of baking paper.

Set aside.

The next day, remove the log from the mould by warming the sides of the mould with the palm of your hand.

Place on a serving dish.

Place gingerbread cubes and caramel drops on the log.

Place in the freezer. Remove 5 minutes before serving.