Mary Berry’s recipe for a baked Alaska – a ‘retro classic’ dessert

Described as the “ultimate showstopper”, ‘s “retro classic” dessert is a fun turn away from more classic recipes.

As an iconic baker, trust to include making her own ice cream in her baked Alaska (although the sponge base is premade).

Thankfully, you only need five ingredients to make vanilla ice cream (and an ice cream machine) – or you can use one litre of good quality vanilla ice cream bought from the supermarket.

If you opt for shop-bought ice cream to save on money, time and effort, you can skip straight to the part of the

Taking up to two hours to be baked, this is a dessert best saved for a special occasion. Serving up to eight people, here’s how to make the decadent

Baked Alaska

Ingredients

For the vanilla ice cream

• 300ml double cream
• 300ml pint milk
• One vanilla pod
• Three egg yolks
• 100g caster sugar

For the meringue

• Three egg whites
• 175g caster sugar

To assemble

• Two to three tbsp cherry jam
• 20cm circle ready-made sponge cake about 2.5cm thick

Equipment

• Ice cream machine

Method

For the vanilla ice cream

Pour the cream and milk into a heavy-based saucepan. Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds, then add the seeds and pod to the pan. Heat the mixture until just below boiling point.

Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool for one hour. Remove the vanilla pod and discard.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. Slowly whisk in about one-quarter of the cream mixture. Reheat the remaining cream mixture until just boiling, then slowly whisk it into the egg mixture.

Pour the egg mixture into a clean saucepan and cook over a gentle heat, stirring continuously until the custard thickens (enough to coat the back of a spoon). Pour the custard into a bowl and set aside to cool, then cover and chill in the fridge overnight.

Pour the cooled custard into an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, until thick and smooth. Spoon into a freezer container and freeze until needed.

For the meringue

Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Slowly whisk in the sugar until glossy and very stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed.

To assemble the Alaska

Spread the jam over the circle of sponge cake, then arrange scoops of ice cream in a pyramid shape on top, leaving a 1.5cm border. Spoon the meringue all over the ice cream, ensuring there are no gaps, and use the back of a spoon to make a swirl pattern. The baked Alaska can now be frozen until needed.

To cook the baked Alaska, preheat the oven to 200C (400F/gas six) and bake for eight to 10 minutes, or until golden-brown all over.