Recipes for the Busy Family: Vanilla and Strawberry Bombe Alaska

Ingredients (serves 8)

Using a serrated knife, cut cake in half crossways. Place base on an ovenproof plate. Place strawberry ice-cream in a bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until just softened. Spread cake base with strawberry ice-cream. Top with remaining cake half. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for 2 hours or until frozen.
Place vanilla ice-cream in a bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until just softened. Remove plastic wrap from filled cake. Working quickly, cover sides and top of filled cake with vanilla ice-cream (see note). Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for 2 hours or until frozen.
Using an electric mixer, beat eggwhite until soft peaks form. With motor running, add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until eggwhite is glossy and sugar has dissolved. Working quickly, spread eggwhite mixture over vanilla ice-cream, ensuring ice-cream is completely covered. Using the back of a spatula, make swirls in eggwhite mixture to decorate. Freeze, uncovered, overnight.
Preheat oven to 240°C/220°C fan-forced. Bake bombe alaska for 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Before covering with vanilla icecream, reshape strawberry ice-cream to ensure it doesn't overhang the cake. Leave plastic wrap on and press gently with hands. Repeat before covering with eggwhite mixture.
Tip: If ice-cream won't spread easily, stand at room temperature until softened, being careful not to let it melt too much.