Step 1: Grind the 1 1/3 cups of pistachios in a food processor until finely ground, but not to a paste. Set aside.

Step 2: In a medium saucepan, warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup of the cream, and salt, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the ground nuts. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep for at least 30 minutes.

Step 3: Strain the warm nut mixture, pressing on the nuts to extract as much liquid as possible, and discard the solids. Return the milk and cream mixture to the saucepan. Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.

Step 4: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Step 5: Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.

Step 6: Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract and stir until combined.

Step 7: Refrigerate until cold. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer?s directions. Once finished churning, fold in the ¾ cup pistachios with a rubber spatula.

Step 1: 1) for Pistachio Ice Cream:
Place milk & cream in a pan over a very low heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a bowl till combined. Whisk hot milk & cream into yolk mixture. Return to a clean saucepan over a very low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent mixture from ‘catching’ on base of pan. Cook gently until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Transfer to a bowl and allow the custard to chill in fridge completely before putting into ice cream maker. Mix together pistachio butter & custard mix. Taste and add almond essence ,if you prefer a stronger nut flavour but add one drop at a time then taste in between each till you get the right flavour. Put mixture into prepared ice cream maker as per instructions for that appliance.

Step 2: Line 4-6 small bowls/moulds with cling film and scoop ice cream from maker into the bowls. Cut circles with a cookie cutter from the chocolate sponge and place on one on top of each bowl of ice cream and press down lightly, this forms the base of the bombe. Freeze until set and then remove from bowl by pulling the cling film. If the ice cream doesn’t come out, run hot water briefly around outside of bowl to release the ice cream.

Step 3: There are two ways of covering the bombe, you can either melt the chocolate and pour it over each bombe directly. Or you can line the bowls again with cling film, spoon melted chocolate into each one and spread chocolate up the sides of the cling film. Allow to set in the fridge for a few minutes and then insert the ice cream bombe into the chocolate case. Refreeze until ready to serve. You can hold the dessert like this for a week or two before using it.

Step 4: 3) for chocolate sponge:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade. Line an 8 inch cake tin with greaseproof paper. Remove cinnamon stick and star anis and pour remaining juice over plums. Place butter & sugar into a bowl and beat with an electric whisk or good old fashioned wooded spoon until light and fluffy.

Step 5: Add one egg at a time and whisk in between both additions. Sift in flour and cocoa into butter mixture and fold in with a metal spoon. Add milk and fold together ingredients.

Step 6: Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out of the sponge clean.

Step 1: Mix the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. In a pot, bring the milk, cream, cardamom and vanilla to boil.

Step 2: Pour the boiling milk mixture over the cold mixture (eggs + sugar) while stirring.

Step 3: Return to heat and continue to stir until the cream starts to thicken.

Step 4: This stage of cooking is known as nappe which is achieved between 82-85C.

Step 5: If the cream is not heated sufficiently, the ice-cream will be thin and watery. Remove the pot from the heat and stop the cooking process by place it in cold water mixed with ice cubes.

Step 6: Pass the mixture though a strainer and transfer to your ice-cream machine.

Step 7: Add the crushed pistachios and almonds before churning. Follow manufacturers instructions. Half way through the churning, add the honey (while ice-cream is still churning).

Step 1: Take 1/4 cup of the cream, add the saffron to it, & microwave it for 30 seconds. Leave to cool & for the flavours to mature for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2: Beat the hung yogurt till smooth. It should be nice & thick, & hold peaks. Add the cream, the saffron cream, the sugar & beat well. Taste & adjust sweetness if required.

Step 3: Put into a freezer box & beat every hour to distribute the crystals.

Step 4: After about 4-5 hours, when it's beginning to get nice & thick, fold the chopped pistachios through & leave it to set for another 4-5 hours, preferably overnight.

Step 5: For the Saffron Caramel Sauce, I simmered some caramel from my jar in the fridge with a good pinch of saffron for 2-3 minutes. then I just left it to cool for about an hour for the flavours to steep.

Step 6: Remove the ice-cream to the fridge an hour before serving, drizzle with saffron caramel sauce, top with chopped pistachios & a few stands of saffron.