Blazing Rum Baked Alaska

⏱ 90 min · Serves 8

A dome of raspberry and vanilla ice cream on a buttery sponge base, cloaked in glossy Italian meringue and set alight with dark rum at the table. Ice-cold inside, warm and toasted outside — pure theatre, and easier than it looks.

Per serving: 545 kcal · 7.5g protein · 82.0g carbs · 19.0g fat

Ingredients

• 500ml vanilla ice cream, softened slightly
• 500ml raspberry sorbet or raspberry ripple ice cream, softened slightly
• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 100g caster sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 100g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp raspberry jam
• 4 large egg whites (about 140g)
• 250g caster sugar (for meringue)
• 60ml water
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• Pinch of fine salt
• 60ml dark rum (overproof works best), for flambéing
• Fresh raspberries, to serve

Method

1. Line a 1.2 litre pudding basin with cling film. Spread the softened vanilla ice cream up the sides in an even layer, then freeze 30 minutes. Fill the centre with the raspberry sorbet, level the top, cover and freeze until rock solid, at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C. Grease and line a 20cm round tin. Beat butter and 100g sugar until pale, add eggs one at a time with the vanilla, then fold in the flour. Spread in the tin and bake 20-22 minutes until golden and springy. Cool completely.
3. Trim the sponge to a disc slightly wider than the pudding basin rim. Spread with the raspberry jam and set on a freezerproof serving plate or board.
4. Turn the ice cream dome out of the basin onto the sponge, peel off the cling film, and return to the freezer while you make the meringue.
5. For the Italian meringue, put the 250g sugar and water in a small pan and heat to 118C on a sugar thermometer. Meanwhile whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt to soft peaks.
6. With the mixer running, pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl in a steady stream. Whisk 8-10 minutes until the bowl is cool and the meringue is thick, stiff and glossy.
7. Working quickly, swirl the meringue over the frozen dome and sponge, sealing right down to the plate with no gaps. Flick up dramatic peaks with a palette knife.
8. Either blowtorch the meringue until deeply tanned, or bake at 220C for 3-4 minutes. Return to the freezer until serving (up to 3 hours).
9. To serve, warm the rum gently in a small pan (do not boil). Take the Alaska to the table, carefully ignite the rum with a long match and pour it flaming over the dome. Once the flames die, slice with a hot knife and serve with fresh raspberries.