Raspberry and Aperol baked Alaska

Method

• step 1

  Put the raspberries in a bowl with the orange juice and zest, Aperol and sugar and leave until the raspberries defrost. whizz to a pulp and then pour through a sieve to get rid of the pips. Pour into a freezer box and freeze, stirring every hour until the mixture is granular. divide it between 4 dariole moulds or plastic or metal pudding basins and pack it down a little so the mixture sticks together. Freeze for another hour or until you are ready to finish the dish.

• step 2

  Cut 4 slices of cake 1cm thick and big enough to fit the base of the mould, if you have a small madeira cake you may need to cut horizontally. Cut 4 circles from the cake slices, each the same size of the base of the mould or basin (this should make the sponge a little bigger than the frozen mixture).

• step 3

  To make the frosting, put the sugar, liquid glucose and egg whites in a bowl set over (but not touching) a pan of simmering water. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture heats up. Pour into a larger bowl off the heat and whisk until the mixture is fluffy and thick enough to spread – about 3-5 minutes. Beat in the icing sugar for a minute or so. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm star or round nozzle.

• step 4

  Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Spread each sponge circle with raspberry jam. Release the raspberry mix from the basins and put one flat-side down on each piece of sponge. Pipe the meringue onto each Alaska, starting at the base of each and finishing at the top. if you have a blow torch then brown the meringues and let them rest for 10 minutes, or bake for 3-4 minutes but serve straight away.