Ingredients

• 50ml/2fl oz water
• 225g/8oz white caster sugar
• 4 free-range egg whites
• 75g/3oz hazelnuts
• finely chopped
• 1 small ready-made chocolate sponge
• 500ml/1lb 2oz vanilla ice cream
• 500ml/1lb 2oz toffee ice cream
• 500ml/18fl oz double cream
• 175g/6oz demerara sugar
• 175g/6oz butter
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 tbsp black treacle

Directions

• For the baked Alaska
• place the water and sugar into a pan and bring to the boil. Skim the surface and wipe the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to remove any sugar crystals
• then increase the heat so that the syrup boils rapidly.
• Insert a sugar thermometer. When the sugar mixture reaches 110C/225F beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks are formed.
• When the sugar mixture reaches 121C/250F remove from the heat. It will have formed a syrup.
• Turn the electric mixer onto the lowest setting then pour the sugar syrup into the egg whites in a thin
• steady stream
• continuing to beat until all the syrup is incorporated.
• Continue to beat at a slow speed until the mixture is almost cold
• this can take up to 15 minutes.
• Fold the hazelnuts into the egg white mixture then spoon into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle.
• Place the chocolate sponge onto a serving plate and top with alternate scoops of vanilla and toffee ice cream.
• Pipe the meringue around the ice cream
• covering completely from top to bottom. Glaze the meringue with a mini-blowtorch
• or bake briefly in a very hot oven.
• For the toffee sauce
• pour the cream into a pan and heat gently. Add the sugar and butter and whisk until melted. Whisk in the syrup and treacle.
• To serve
• cut wedges of baked Alaska and place on serving plates. Drizzle the sauce over the top.