It’s the contrast between the cold ice cream and the hot meringue that makes this dessert special. The whipped egg whites do not conduct heat well, which allows the Alaska to be baked for a few minutes without melting the ice cream. It’s a scientific ‘magic trick’!
Ingredients
- 225 g génoise
For the vanilla ice cream (you can also use ready-made ice cream)
- 8 egg yolks
- 80 g caster sugar
- 250 ml semi-skimmed or full fat milk
- 350 ml fresh double cream
- 1 tablespoon glucose syrup
For the Syrup
- 1 tablespoon boiling water
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier
How to Make It
- The day before, make the vanilla ice cream following the crème anglaise. Add the glucose syrup at the end, off the heat. Rest overnight in the fridge and churn it in an ice-cream maker the next morning. Alternatively you can of course use ready-made ice cream.
- On the day, make a génoise sponge, and leave it to cool down.
- For the syrup, bring the water and caster sugar to the boil, cool for 15 minutes and add the Grand Marnier.
- Brush the génoise with Grand Marnier syrup. Fill the bowl or tin with vanilla ice cream, place the génoise on top and set it in the freezer for a minimum of 12 hours.
- Before serving make the French meringue by whisking the egg whites with the caster sugar to peak.
- Place the ice-cream cake bowl/tin in a larger bowl filled with hot water for a few seconds and turn it out.
- Spread over the meringue with a spatula and place the cake in a very hot oven (250°C/480°F/Gas Mark 9) for 2 minutes. Or burn the meringue with a blowtorch. Serve straight away.
