Blood Orange Baked Alaska with Almond Sponge

⏱ 90 min · Serves 8

A blushing dome of tart blood orange sorbet and vanilla ice cream on a soft almond sponge, cloaked in glossy Swiss meringue and torched to a toasted marshmallow finish. Freezer work is done a day ahead, so the drama is all last-minute.

Per serving: 475 kcal · 8.5g protein · 78.0g carbs · 14.0g fat

Ingredients

• For the blood orange sorbet:
• 600ml fresh blood orange juice (about 10 oranges), strained
• 150g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp liquid glucose (or honey)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• pinch of fine salt
• For the almond sponge base:
• 3 large eggs
• 90g caster sugar
• 60g plain flour
• 30g ground almonds
• 30g unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• To assemble:
• 800ml good vanilla ice cream, softened 10 minutes
• 2 tbsp Cointreau or orange juice, for brushing
• For the Swiss meringue:
• 4 large egg whites (140g)
• 200g caster sugar
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Make the sorbet: warm 150ml of the blood orange juice with the sugar and glucose until dissolved, then stir into the remaining juice with lemon juice and salt. Chill thoroughly, then churn in an ice cream machine (or freeze in a tray, whisking every 40 minutes for 3 hours).
2. Line a 1.2-litre round bowl with cling film. Pack the softened vanilla ice cream in an even layer up the sides, leaving a hollow centre. Freeze 1 hour until firm.
3. Fill the hollow with the blood orange sorbet, level the top, cover and freeze at least 6 hours or overnight.
4. Bake the sponge: heat oven to 180C/160C fan. Whisk eggs and sugar to a thick, pale ribbon (5 minutes). Fold in sifted flour and ground almonds, then the melted butter and almond extract. Spread into a lined 20cm round tin and bake 18-20 minutes. Cool completely.
5. Trim the sponge to a disc slightly wider than the bowl's rim, set it on a freezer-proof serving plate and brush with Cointreau. Turn out the frozen dome onto the sponge, peel off the cling film and return to the freezer.
6. Make the meringue: whisk whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a bowl over barely simmering water until the sugar dissolves and the mix reaches 70C. Transfer to a mixer and whip to stiff, glossy peaks, adding vanilla at the end.
7. Working quickly, swathe the frozen dome and sponge completely in meringue, sealing to the plate, and swirl into peaks with a palette knife.
8. Freeze 30 minutes, then scorch all over with a blowtorch (or 3-4 minutes in a 240C oven). Serve immediately, cut with a hot knife.