Mini baked Alaskas with boozy cherry centres

Method

• step 1

  Line 4 individual pudding moulds with cling film – brushing with oil first will help. Divide the ice cream between them, shaping so an even thickness covers the base and sides with a hollow in the middle. Mix the jam with 2 tsp of the kirsch, spoon into the ice-cream hollows, cover and freeze overnight.

• step 2

  For the base, heat oven to 180C/ fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line a 20cm square cake tin. Reserve 2 tbsp of the almonds, then whizz the rest in a food processor until finely chopped and tip into a bowl with the flour, butter, beaten whole eggs and 100g caster sugar. Beat until smooth, then spread into the tin and bake for 15-18 mins until golden and springy. Cool on a wire rack. This cake will sit quite happily in a tin for 24 hrs, but stamp out the bases on the day or the edges will dry overnight.

• step 3

  For the meringue, whisk the egg whites until stiff, then add the remaining sugar and continue whisking until the meringue is thick and glossy. Can be chilled for up to 5 hrs. With a 7cm round cutter or rim of a pudding mould, cut 4 bases from the almond sponge. Drizzle with the rest of the kirsch, then sit them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.

• step 4

  When you’re ready to serve, heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Turn 1 ice cream out onto each round of cake, peeling off the cling film, then spread over meringue using a knife or small spatula until completely covered. Scatter with remaining almonds and bake for 3 mins until the tips of the meringues are just browning. Lift onto serving plates with a fish slice and serve immediately.