frozen easter pashka with cherry sauce

1. Place the vanilla bean into a cold oven set to 200°C and roast it for 10 minutes exactly. Remove from the oven and cool.

2. Place vanilla bean and sugar into a food processor and mill to a fine powder.

3. Place milk and vanilla sugar into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Take it off the heat and temper the yolks before adding them back into the hot mixture, stirring continually. Cook until coating the back of a wooden spoon.

4. Pour into separate bowl and cool completely using a cartouche on top of the custard to prevent a skin forming.

5. Meanwhile, combine the kirsch with craisins in glass bowl, cover and set aside for 30 minutes.

6. Roughly chop chocolate and pistachios. Set aside.

7. Place ricotta, crème fraîche/sour cream and cold custard into mixing bowl and stir together vigorously until well combined. Add melted butter and incorporate.

8. Fold through craisins with kirsch and chopped chocolate and nuts.

9. Pour mixture into moulds of choice and place into the freezer overnight or until solid.

10. To make Cherry Sauce: place all ingredients except the cherries into a saucepan and cook on a medium high heat until thickened, stirring continuously. NO lumps!

11. Add drained cherries and mix just to warm through.

SERVE: Turn pashka out onto serving plate and drizzle with sauce and cherries. I suggest defrosting them in the fridge until a fork or spoon will cut through them easily before serving.