Hawaii Ice Cream Cake

Preparation:

Special equipment:

Ingredients:

Pineapple

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 can (600 g) of canned pineapple chunks
• 1 can (400 g) of condensed milk with sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 cups of fatty blueberries
• 2 tsp vanilla paste or extract
• 2 cups pistachio gelato, softened
• Cut half of a 9x5 pound cake into 1-inch thick slices.

Honey meringue

• 3/4 cup honey
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Whites of 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 0.5 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Leaves

• 1 cup green candy melts
• 2 tbsp. l. coconut oil

Preparation:

1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the pineapple and its juices. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated and the pineapple is caramelized, 10-12 minutes.
2. Transfer to a medium bowl, add condensed milk and salt, cover and freeze for 30 minutes.
3. Using a mixer at high speed, beat the cream with the vanilla bean paste until stiff peaks form, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the chilled pineapple mixture, then fold in the whipped cream.
4. Using a quart-size plastic container, cut a 11-cm circle out of pound cake; this will be the base of the cake. If the pound cake is small, you can use several pieces to form the base.
5. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and set aside until ready to use.
6. Line a 1-liter container with plastic wrap, allowing 10 cm of overhang over the sides. Add 2 cups of pineapple ice cream, smooth the surface, cover, and freeze for about 3 hours until firm.
7. Freeze any remaining pineapple ice cream for another use.
8. Spread the pistachio gelato over the pineapple ice cream, pressing to fill in any gaps. Unwrap the pound cake and press it onto the surface of the ice cream to adhere. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 2-3 hours.
9. Combine honey, sugar, and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan and heat, without stirring, to 115°C (230°F) on a candy thermometer.
10. Honey meringue.
    
    Meanwhile, using a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt at high speed until soft peaks form, 3-4 minutes. Without stopping the mixer, carefully pour the hot syrup into the whites in a thin, even stream. The whites will deflate slightly at first, but as the syrup is incorporated, they will thicken and begin to whip. Continue beating until the mixture is thick and glossy, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a large pastry bag fitted with a star tip; set aside until ready to use.
11. Cut two pound cake circles, 6 cm and 1.5 cm. Pipe 1 tablespoon meringue into the center of a cake stand, then invert the frozen ice cream cake onto the center of the stand, pressing the pound cake base onto the meringue to adhere. Pipe 1 teaspoon meringue into the center of the top ice cream and press down on a 6 cm cake layer. Pipe another teaspoon meringue into the center of this cake layer and press down on the smaller cake layer. Working quickly, pipe a wide strip of meringue around the ice cream, 5 cm from the bottom cake layer. Pipe another strip just above it, so the two stripes touch.
12. Repeat the process, pipe two additional stripes to form a wide "belt" of meringue in the center of the pineapple. Using a small offset spatula, smooth the surface of the meringue and shape it into the pineapple, making it wider in the center and tapering toward the ends; add more meringue if needed.
13. Spread the meringue over the top two layers, shape, and smooth to completely cover and form the conical top of the pineapple. Freeze the cake for 2 hours. Keep the remaining meringue in a piping bag at room temperature.
14. Leaves.
    
    In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the candies with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat. Place the prepared baking sheet with the leaf outline in front of you. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the mixture to a small pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe the outer edge of the pineapple leaves and freeze until set, about 5 minutes.
15. Meanwhile, stir the remaining coconut oil into the remaining melted mixture in the bowl. Pour a spoonful of the liquid green mixture over the pineapple leaves, following the outline. Freeze until the leaves are set, about 15 minutes.