Almond sponge and raspberry ripple baked alaska

Method

1. Take the ice cream out of the freezer to partially defrost. Gently cook the raspberries in a medium saucepan with the sugar and lemon until broken down into a jammy sauce consistency. Push the raspberry mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds (discard the seeds), then set the raspberry syrup aside to cool.
2. When the ice cream is soft enough to stir, tip it into a large mixing bowl, drizzle over the raspberry syrup and stir to ripple. Transfer to the cling film-lined freezerproof bowl, then re-freeze for 4-5 hours or until completely solid.
3. For the cake, heat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan/gas 4. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and creamy. Slowly whisk in the eggs, a little at a time, until well combined.
4. Beat in the ground almonds, flour, lemon zest and milk, then spoon into the prepared 20cm tin. Bake for 35049 minutes until slightly risen and cooked through. Remove from the oven, leave to stand in the tin for 5 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool.
5. When the ice cream has frozen solid, the cake is cool and you are almost ready to serve, make the meringue. In a large, spotlessly clean mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks using an electric mixer. Gradually add the sugar, whisking until it dissolves, to give a thick, glossy meringue.
6. If you don’t have a blowtorch, heat the oven to its highest temperature. Put the cake on a large heatproof platter. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and lift it out the bowl by pulling on the cling film. Turn it out on top of the cake and remove the cling film. Turn it out on top of the cake and remove the cling film. Dollop the meringue evenly over the ice cream and swirl into patterns. If you’re using the oven, put the alaska on a baking tray and cook for 4-5 minutes until the meringue toasts to a golden colour. Alternatively use a blowtorch, working all over the meringue until it turns golden. Serve immediately.