Baked Alaska

Directions

1. 1
   Heat the oven to 350F.
2. 2
   Butter an 8-inch square cake pan.
3. 3
   In a medium heatproof bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer for 3 minutes or until thick and lemon colored.
4. 4
   Gradually add the sugar, beating constantly for 4 to 5 minutes.
5. 5
   In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. 6
   Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture.
7. 7
   Stir in the milk, butter, and vanilla.
8. 8
   Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
9. 9
   Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched lightly.
10. 10
    Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
11. 11
    Using a 1-quart mixing bowl as a guide, cut out a round of cake.
12. 12
    Cut the remaining cake scraps into pieces.
13. 13
    Line the bowl with plastic wrap and press the cake scraps in the bottom and up the sides to cover the bowl completely.
14. 14
    Put the ice cream on top of the cake scraps, pressing it into the bowl.
15. 15
    Brush the cake round with the preserves and place it on the ice cream, brushed side down.
16. 16
    Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.
17. 17
    To make the meringue, in a medium bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
18. 18
    Gradually add the marshmallow cream, whipping until stiff peaks form.
19. 19
    Remove the bowl from the freezer, unwrap, and unmold the chilled dome onto a foil-wrapped pizza pan.
20. 20
    Discard the plastic wrap.
21. 21
    Cover the dome with the meringue and freeze for 2 more hours.
22. 22
    To serve, place an oven rack in the lowest position and heat the oven to 500F.
23. 23
    Remove the dome from the freezer, place on a baking sheet, and bake for 3 to 4 minutes, until the meringue is lightly browned.
24. 24
    Serve immediately.
25. 25
    The interior of this mountain of browned meringue is the polar opposite of the ubiquitous molten lava cake.
26. 26
    Exploring different flavor combinations is an adventurers dream.
27. 27
    Try lining the bowl with rich vanilla ice cream and then filling the center with orange sherbert for a snow-capped dreamsicle.
28. 28
    Lemon sorbet makes a refreshing surprise inside for lemon meringue pie fans.
29. 29
    If you hanker for smores, go with dark chocolate ice cream.
30. 30
    With the ever-expanding variety of premium ice creams out there, the sky is the limit.
31. 31
    I tend to favor smooth ice creams so there arent any lumps to interfere with appreciating the strata of sponge cake, cold ice cream, and fluffy meringue.