Mary's Neopolitan Baked Alaska

Ingredients

For the filling

• 1 liter vanilla ice cream
• 1 liter strawberry ice cream
• 1 liter chocolate ice cream

For the sponge base

• 2 large eggs
• 50g caster sugar
• 30g self-raising flour
• 20g cocoa powder
• 20g butter, melted

For the meringue

• 225g caster sugar
• 4 large egg whites
• pink gel paste coloring
• yellow gel paste coloring
• mixed berries to decorate

Instructions

1. 1
   Line a 3 liter pudding bowl with cling film. In a large bowl or mixer, beat the vanilla ice cream to soften a little then spoon into the base of the pudding bowl. Level with a spatula and freeze for 1 hour until firm.
2. 2
   In a large bowl or mixer, beat the strawberry ice cream to soften a little, and then spoon over the vanilla ice cream. Level with a spatula and freeze for 1 hour until firm.
3. 3
   Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 8in sandwich tin and line the base with baking parchment.
4. 4
   For the sponge, place the egg and sugar into a large bowl and beat at full speed with an electric whisk until the mixture is pale in color and thick enough to just leave a trail when the whisk is lifted. Sift the flour and cocoa powder over the surface of the mixture and gently fold in with a metal spoon or spatula. Pour the butter down the side of the bowl and gently fold in.
5. 5
   Turn into the prepared tin and tilt the tin to allow the mixture to spread evenly to the sides. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 10 – 12 minutes, until springy to the touch and beginning to shrink from the sides of the tin. Turn out and leave to cool on a wire rack.
6. 6
   In a large bowl or mixer, beat the chocolate ice cream to soften a little then spread over the strawberry ice cream. Level with a spatula and freeze for 1 hour until firm.
7. 7
   Place the cold sponge on an ovenproof serving dish. Turn the ice cream out onto the sponge and pop it back in the freezer while you are making the meringue.
8. 8
   Pre-heat the oven to 450F.
9. 9
   To make the meringue, place the sugar and 90ml of water in a thick-based saucepan. Stir the sugar and water over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a fast boil until it reaches 230F.
10. 10
    Whisk the whites in a large bowl of an electric mixer until stiff. When the syrup temperature reaches 240F, slowly and carefully pour the syrup over the whisked whites in a thin stream taking care not to let the syrup run onto the whisk.
11. 11
    Continue whisking for about 15 minutes until the meringue is completely cold.
12. 12
    Take the cake and ice cream from the freezer and remove the cling film. Using a palette knife spread a thin layer of meringue over the ice cream and sponge to form a coating.
13. 13
    Fit a large disposable piping bag with a 2D star nozzle. Using a paint brush or small pastry brush, paint a line of pink gel paste up the inside of the bag in a line from the nozzle to the top. Repeat on the opposite side with the yellow gel paste. Spoon the meringue into the piping bag.
14. 14
    Starting from the top of the dome of ice cream and working quickly, pipe small rosettes of meringue over the dome of ice cream, until completely covered.
15. 15
    Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Decorate with mixed berries and serve immediately.