Talk about a Fat Tuesday dessert!
ingredients
FILLING:
1 pint black raspberry chip ice cream
1 pint green tea ice cream
1 pint lemon sorbet
SPONGE CAKE:
3/4 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature, plus more for greasing)
3/4 cup all purpose flour (plus more for flouring)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar (divided)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
2 large egg whites
VANILLA MERINGUE:
6 egg whites (room temperature)
1 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
directions
For the Filling: Line an 8-inch diameter large bowl with plastic wrap.
Using a 2-ounce scoop, begin scooping the ice cream into the bowl, alternating flavors as you go. Once all your ice cream has been scooped into the bowl, use plastic wrap to press down the ice cream and “smush” the flavors together creating a flat surface on top. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.
For the Sponge Cake: Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter and flour an 8-inch cake round, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon of sugar, beating until pale in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl and continue to beat. Add the vanilla and turn the mixer to low. Slowly add in 1/3 of the flour mixture followed by 3/4 of the milk, repeating and ending with the flour, beat until just combined. Transfer to a large bowl and wash out the bowl of the stand mixer.
In the clean bowl of the standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until foamy and beginning to thicken. Slowly add remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue to beat until stiff and glossy, about 5 minutes.
Fold 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the cake mixture until combined. Gently fold in remaining egg whites until just combined. Transfer the mixture into the prepared cake round using an offset spatula to even out the top of the cake. Transfer the cake to the oven and bake until the cake is golden and pulls away from the pan, about 10-15 minutes. Remove the cake from the baking sheet and let cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, transfer to prepared baking sheet and set aside.
For the Vanilla Meringue: Bring a medium saucepan with one inch of water to a simmer. Place a stainless steel-bowl over the saucepan and add egg whites, sugar and fine salt, and whisk to combine. Whisk continuously until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches a temperature of 160ºF. Remove from heat and using a whisk or hand mixer, beat egg whites until cooled and shiny, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add vinegar and vanilla and stir to combine.
To Assemble: Preheat oven to broil. Remove frozen bowl of ice cream filling from freezer, remove plastic wrap, and carefully turn out ice cream on top of the center of tea cake.
Fill a ziptop bag or piping bag with the vanilla meringue. Working quickly, pipe the meringue into drop shapes all around the outsides of the cake.
Once cake is fully decorated, transfer to oven and broil until starting to brown, 1-2 minutes. Remove, cut into slices, and serve immediately.
Tip: Use your favorite flavored sorbets and ice creams to give this recipe your own personal flair!
