Dandelion: Caramelised banana cake with tamarind and coconut ice-creams

1.For tamarind ice-cream, whisk sugar and yolks in a bowl until pale. Soak tamarind pulp in 500ml warm water until softened (10 minutes), then strain into a saucepan, pressing pulp to extract all liquid (discard pulp). Warm over medium heat (3-4 minutes), then add to yolk mixture, whisking to combine. Return mixture to pan and stir continuously over low heat until mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon thickly (8-10 minutes). Strain into a bowl over ice and cool completely. Stir in cream, freeze in an ice-cream machine, then freeze until required. Makes 1.2 litres.

2.For coconut ice-cream, whisk sugar and yolks in a bowl until pale. Bring coconut cream and glucose to the simmer in a saucepan over medium heat, then add to yolk mixture, whisking continuously to combine. Return mixture to pan and stir continuously over medium heat until mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon thickly (8 minutes). Strain into a bowl over ice, cool completely, freeze in an ice-cream machine, then freeze until required. Makes 1 litre.

3.Preheat oven to 175C. Whisk egg, condensed milk and butter in a bowl to combine. Slice half the banana diagonally and fold into egg mixture with 250gm palm sugar, then fold in flour. Pour into a 20cm x 8cm loaf tin lined with baking paper and smooth top. Slice remaining banana, arrange on top of cake, then bake until cake is golden brown and a skewer withdraws clean (1¼-1½ hours).

4.Meanwhile, stir remaining palm sugar and 100ml water in a saucepan over medium heat, brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush, until dissolved (3 minutes). Cook, without stirring, until caramel (8-10 minutes). Add 40ml water, or enough to thin to drizzling consistency (be careful as hot caramel will spit), and stir to combine. Spoon over thickly sliced warm cake and serve with tamarind and coconut ice-creams.