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Almond sponge and raspberry ripple baked alaska

We’re bringing back the baked alaska – our modern recipe combines almond sponge with raspberry ripple ice cream for a truly show-stopping dessert.

Did you know you can also make mini versions? Take a look at this recipe for individual baked Alaskas too.

We’re bringing back the baked alaska – our modern recipe combines almond sponge with raspberry ripple ice cream for a truly show-stopping dessert.

Did you know you can also make mini versions? Take a look at this recipe for individual baked Alaskas too.

For 10

Ingredients

For the cake

For the meringue

You’ll also need…

20cm diameter 2 litre capacity freezerproof mixing bowl, lined with 2 sheets cling film to beyond the rim
20cm diameter cake tin, lightly oiled, the base lined with non-stick baking paper
Cook’s blowtorch (helpful but not essential)

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Take the ice cream out of the freezer to partially defrost. Gently cook the raspberries in a medium saucepan with the sugar and lemon until broken down into a jammy sauce consistency. Push the raspberry mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds (discard the seeds), then set the raspberry syrup aside to cool.
When the ice cream is soft enough to stir, tip it into a large mixing bowl, drizzle over the raspberry syrup and stir to ripple. Transfer to the cling film-lined freezerproof bowl, then re-freeze for 4-5 hours or until completely solid.
For the cake, heat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan/gas 4. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and creamy. Slowly whisk in the eggs, a little at a time, until well combined.

Beat in the ground almonds, flour, lemon zest and milk, then spoon into the prepared 20cm tin. Bake for 35049 minutes until slightly risen and cooked through. Remove from the oven, leave to stand in the tin for 5 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool.
When the ice cream has frozen solid, the cake is cool and you are almost ready to serve, make the meringue. In a large, spotlessly clean mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks using an electric mixer. Gradually add the sugar, whisking until it dissolves, to give a thick, glossy meringue.
If you don’t have a blowtorch, heat the oven to its highest temperature. Put the cake on a large heatproof platter. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and lift it out the bowl by pulling on the cling film. Turn it out on top of the cake and remove the cling film. Turn it out on top of the cake and remove the cling film. Dollop the meringue evenly over the ice cream and swirl into patterns. If you’re using the oven, put the alaska on a baking tray and cook for 4-5 minutes until the meringue toasts to a golden colour. Alternatively use a blowtorch, working all over the meringue until it turns golden. Serve immediately.

For 10

Nutrition: per serving

Although this pudding might seem full of jeopardy (cooking and ice cream!) you actually have a bit more time than you think. Work quickly with the meringue, but don’t rush. The ice cream will take a good 10 minutes before it starts to melt, provided it’s properly frozen when you take it out of the freezer.

We flamed our alaska, which looks spectacular but isn’t strictly necessary. If you’d like to give it a go, warm 100ml kirsch or overproof rum in a saucepan until gently steaming, then pour into
a ladle. Using a long match or cook’s blowtorch, ignite the alcohol in the ladle, then carefully pour it over the alaska. It will cook the meringue further, so if you want to do this, don’t burnish the meringue as much.
Make the sponge cake up to 24 hours in advance, wrap in cling film and store in an airtight container. You can also freeze the sponge for up to 1 month, well wrapped in cling film. The moulded raspberry ripple ice cream will keep for 1 month in the freezer.

Freeze leftover egg yolks, lightly beaten with ¼ tsp sugar or ½ tsp salt (to use in sweet or savoury recipes), in a freezer bag, marked with the number of yolks and the date, for up to 3 months.