Serves 10
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For the chocolate cake base

For the meringue:

  1. For the base, line a one-litre pudding basin with two layers of cling film, leaving enough hanging over the edges to cover the sides of the basin.
  2. Place the ice cream in the basin and press down with the back of a spoon to get a smooth surface. Tap the basin sharply against the counter to get rid of any air holes. Cover the top with the overhanging cling film and place in the freezer.
  3. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Grease a 16cm cake tin with butter and line the base with a circle of parchment paper.
  4. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Leave until just melted, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat and set aside.
  5. In a large bowl, cream the butter until soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is fluffy.
  6. Gradually add the eggs, beating constantly.
  7. Beat in the melted chocolate.
  8. Sift over the flour.
  9. Gently fold it in until just combined.
  10. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin.
  11. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and turn the temperature to 220˚C/200˚C fan/gas mark 7.
  12. Allow the cake to cool down in the tin for 10 minutes, then loosen around the edges with a small, sharp knife and carefully remove the cake. Place on a wire rack to cool down fully.
  13. In a large, very clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
  14. Add half of the caster sugar and the cream of tartar and whisk until the mixture is glossy and forms stiff peaks.
  15. Use a spatula to fold in the remaining sugar.
  16. To assemble, once the cake has cooled, place it in the middle of a baking tray with no lip.
  17. Remove the ice cream from the freezer. Use the cling film to pull the ice cream out of the pudding bowl and place it upside down on top of the cake. Remove and discard the cling film.
  18. Working quickly, spread the meringue thickly over the ice cream and cake, working right down to the baking tray and spreading it into peaks. Place in the centre of the oven for 3-4 minutes or until the meringue is golden and set on the outside. Carefully transfer the baked Alaska to a serving plate and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving: 424kcals, 19.3g fat (11.9g saturated), 59.6g carbs, 48.2g sugars, 6.1g protein, 0.9g fibre, 0.147g sodium

MAKE IT YOURS:
For a more adult treat, use coffee ice cream in place of the chocolate. To save time, use a shop-bought chocolate cake instead of making one. If you want, you can place the Alaska in the freezer for an hour after spreading on the meringue; it will take 7-8 minutes in the oven if coming from the freezer.

Sweet thingsChocolateAmericanSpecial OccasionsMeringueCuisinesBakingDinner party

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