Edd Kimber's chocolate and amaretto baked Alaska recipe

Details

• Cuisine: English
• Recipe Type: Cake
• Difficulty: Hard
• Preparation Time: 120 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Serves: 6

Step-by-step

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan oven) mark 4, then grease a 27cmx39cm high-sided baking tray and line with baking parchment, greasing the parchment too. Put the eggs and sugar into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is just warm to the touch.
2. Remove the bowl from the pan and, using an electric mixer, whisk for 5 minutes on high speed, then reduce the speed to medium and whisk for a further 3 minutes. By this stage the mixture should have tripled in volume, and when the whisk is lifted from the bowl it should form a slowly dissolving ribbon.
3. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, and gently fold together, making sure all the dry ingredients are combined but trying to keep as much volume as possible. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and very gently level it out. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cake is risen and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. To make the syrup, put 50ml water and the sugar in a small pan and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 2 minutes or until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the amaretto to taste. Take a 1 litre (16cm wide) pudding bowl and line with a piece of clingfilm, leaving a large overhang.
5. Cut out two discs of cake, one to fit the top and one to fit the base of the bowl, and use the remaining cake to cut out a strip to line the sides of the bowl. Line the bowl with the base and side sponge pieces and brush liberally with the syrup.
6. Fill with the ice cream and put the larger sponge disc on top, then press firmly to seal. Fold over the clingfilm and freeze for about 1 hour or until the ice cream is firm.
7. To assemble the dessert, put the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar for the amaretto Swiss meringue into a grease-free heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Using an electric mixer, whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk until the meringue forms stiff, glossy peaks. Add the amaretto and whisk to combine.
8. Remove the ice cream-filled cake from the freezer and unwrap, then turn out onto a serving plate. Pour the meringue onto the sponge and spread evenly to cover completely. Use a blowtorch to brown the meringue, or brown it in the oven preheated to 230°C (210°C fan oven) mark 8 for 3–4 minutes.