Christmas Baked Alaska

Ingredients

• 1 quart ice cream - softened (You can use any ice cream flavor. We recommend chocolate)

Sponge cake base

• 3 large eggs
• ⅓ cup sugar
• ½ cup flour
• 2 tsp cornstarch

Meringue

• 4 egg whites
• ¾ cup confectioner's sugar

Directions

1. Leave the ice cream in room temperature for an hour to soften.
2. For the sponge base: In a small sauce pan, bring a cup of water to simmer over low heat.
3. Preheat oven to 425°F (or 210°C).
4. Beat the eggs and Sugar in a small steel mixing bowl over the simmering water (double boiler), until the temperature reaches about 110 – 120°F (or 40 – 45°C).
5. Remove from heat.
6. Continue beating until light and creamy - until it cools down again.
7. Add the flour and starch, then fold gently. Be careful not to overmix.
8. On a greased baking pan, line up a sheet of silicon or wax paper.
9. Spread the sponge base mixture thin over the sheet of silicon or wax paper.
10. The shape is not important as this will just be the cake base that will be hidden by the meringue.
11. A rough rectangle will be okay.
12. Bake quickly in the oven for about 4 – 5 minutes, then remove from oven and let it cool.
13. The cake should come off the paper quite easily.
14. In your choice of mold (we used an oblong-shaped mold - see picture), cover the bottom and sides with pieces of the cake.
15. Put in the softened ice cream to fill the mold.
16. Cover the top with cake, then freeze for about 3 hours.
17. Prepare the meringue by beating the egg whites with the confectioners Sugar until stiff.
18. Place in a piping bag.
19. Preheat oven to 425°F (210°C).
20. Unmold the frozen cake-ice cream on a baking tray.
21. Pipe the meringue mixture all around to completely cover the cake-ice cream.
22. You can make shapes with the meringue.
23. When completely covered with the meringue, put it in the oven to bake for 2 – 4 minutes.
24. The meringue surface will bake very quickly, and the edges will start to brown.
25. When the edges have browned enough, remove from the oven.
26. The meringue surface will be baked, while the ice cream inside remains frozen.
27. Decorate with cherries or candies, then serve.