Baked Alaska

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  Line a bowl with layers of cling film. Place the ice cream into the bowl (you may need to let it soften for a few minutes, but do not let it melt). Cover the top with cling film and return it to the freezer.
• 2
  Preheat the oven to 180 °C, grease the sides of a cake tin with butter and line the bottom with baking paper.
• 3
  Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave until melted, stirring occasionally. Then remove from the heat and set aside.
• 4
  In a large bowl or electric mixer, beat the butter until soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs to the creamed butter mixture, continuing to beat.
• 5
  Beat in the melted chocolate, then gently fold in the flour until combined.
• 6
  Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 25–30 minutes.
• 7
  Remove the cake base from the oven and increase the temperature to 220 °C (if preparing the meringues immediately).
• 8
  Let the cake base cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Then, with a small sharp knife, loosen the edges and carefully remove the cake base. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
• 9
  In a bowl, beat the egg whites. Add half of the icing sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Then fold in the remaining sugar.
• 10
  Place the cake base on a baking sheet. Using the cling film, remove the ice cream from the bowl and place it on the cake base. Remove all cling film.
• 11
  Quickly spoon the meringue. Spread it over the ice cream and down the sides of the cake base.
• 12
  Place in the preheated oven for 3-4 minutes. The meringue will firm up and turn golden on the outside.