A show-stopping retro dessert that’s a clever case of assembly, these can be made ahead of time, so all you need to do is brown the meringue before impressing your special person with a pop of colourful ice cream.
And they really are impressive, with their layer of meringue encasing ice cream and a swirly layer of sponge.
You can make these in any containers, as long as they can go in the freezer. Line them to make tipping them out easier.
1 litre ice cream — we have used plum for contrast 4 x 8cm discs Swiss roll or sponge cake
- Line 4 x 150ml containers.
- Fill them with your chosen ice cream to the top. Cut a disc of cake to sit flush on top. Cover and place back in the freezer until ready to add the meringue.
- For the meringue, beat the egg whites until stiff. Slowly add the sugar 2 tablespoons at a time until thick and glossy. Add the vanilla and cornflour, beating through.
- Remove the ice cream from the freezer and from the containers, placing all four on a tray, sponge-side down. Using a spoon, cover the ice cream and cake with meringue, using the back of your spoon to add texture. Return to the freezer until ready to serve.
- To serve, place a baked Alaska on each plate, then, using a kitchen torch, brown the outside of the meringue. Serve to your sweetie.
