Method

1. Grease a 6cm deep, 19cm x 9cm loaf tin. Line tin with baking paper, allowing a 5cm overhang on both long sides. 

2. Place the eggs, honey, vanilla seeds or powder, orange zest and spices into a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. (The water should not touch the base of the bowl.) Whisk the egg mixture with electric beaters or balloon whisk until pale and thickened, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly for two minutes.

3. Pour the whipped coconut cream into the egg mixture, followed by the cherries, raisins and almonds and gently fold through to combine.  

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, smooth the top with a palette knife.  Cover and freeze overnight or until firm. 

5. Remove the semi-freddo from the freezer and allow to stand at room temperature for five minutes before turning out. Peel away the baking paper and cut into thick slices. Arrange the semi-freddo slices on a large platter or individual serving plates, then sprinkle with some almond praline, and decorate with fresh currants. 

Tip: If you find the egg mixture curdles during the cooking process in step 2 or even after cooking, simply place the egg mixture in a blender and blend until smooth; this will help smooth out the lumps and bring back the mixture to a smooth consistency. 

For whipped coconut cream 

1. Place the unopened cans of coconut cream upright in a stainless steel bowl and refrigerate overnight. 

2. Without shaking or disturbing the cans, open the cans of chilled coconut cream. Scoop out the thick cream layer and place in the chilled bowl with the honey. Store the thin leftover coconut cream in a sealed container in the fridge for another use. 

3. Use an electric mixer to whip the coconut cream and honey on high speed until soft peaks form, about three minutes. Refrigerate for 40 minutes or until set.

For almond praline

1. Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Scatter the almonds in a single layer on the tray and roast in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until golden. Leave to cool. 

3. Place the honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil and let it bubble away until it reaches 130C on a sugar thermometer. Stir frequently as the honey has a tendency to burn. Add the almonds and olive oil and mix well. Pour the honey-coated almonds back onto the lined baking tray. Spread them out into a single layer and allow to cool completely. 

4. Once cool, break into large pieces and process in a food processor using the pulse button to coarse crumbs.