Baked Alaska
Recipes

Baked Alaska

This spectacular dessert is simply the best – created with home-made vanilla ice cream on a butter-sponge base, encased in...

Ingredients

For the vanilla ice cream

  • 250ml double cream 
  • 150ml whole or semi-skimmed milk 
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract 
  • 4 egg yolks from large eggs, beaten (reserve the whites for the meringue) 
  • 70g caster sugar 

For the sponge base

  • a little melted butter or vegetable oil, for greasing 
  • 65g butter, at room temperature 
  • 65g caster sugar 
  • 1 large egg 
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract 
  • 65g self-raising flour 
  • pinch of salt 
  • 1 tbsp milk 
  • 3 tbsp strawberry jam 

For the meringue

  • 4 egg whites 
  • 80g caster sugar 

Top tip!

The churning time for the ice cream is a guideline, as it depends on both the temperature of the ingredients and the room temperature – so if the mixture needs more churning, simply adjust the timer. Make sure you are organised for the final assembly. If you like, you could scoop the ice cream into balls onto a baking sheet and freeze them down, so that they are even quicker to arrange on the sponge base.

Method

  1. If using the Lakeland Digital Ice Cream Maker or Ninja CREAMi​, make sure that you put the bowl into your freezer at least 12 hours in advance.
  2. Put the double cream, milk, vanilla bean paste or extract, egg yolks and caster sugar into a heavy-based saucepan, stirring to mix. Heat gently, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens to make a thin custard. Remove from the heat, pour into a jug and cover the surface with a piece of baking parchment to prevent a skin from forming. Cool, then chill in the fridge.
  3. To make the sponge base, first preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Grease the base of an 18cm sandwich tin and line with baking parchment. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg and vanilla. Gently fold in the flour and salt, using a large metal spoon. Stir in the milk. Transfer to the prepared tin, level the surface, and bake for 18-20 minutes, until risen and golden. Cool completely.
  4. Set up your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Turn on the power and set the timer for 20 minutes. While the machine is switched on with the paddle turning, pour the mixture into the bowl. When the churning is complete, remove the ice cream from the bowl with a plastic spatula and put it into a freezer-safe container. Transfer to your freezer for a further 30-40 minutes to firm up.
  5. Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas 5. Put the sponge base onto a baking sheet and spread the jam on top. Whisk the egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the caster sugar, whisking until stiff peaks form.
  6. Working as quickly as possible, scoop 5-6 balls of the ice cream on top of the sponge. Immediately cover it with the meringue, spreading it right down to the baking sheet, so that there are no gaps. Transfer to the oven and bake for 7-8 minutes until golden-brown. Serve at once!