Raspberry Meringue Ice Cream Cake Food

RASPBERRY MERINGUE ICE-CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Reserve 1 tbsp sugar. Mix together the custard, creme fraiche, remaining sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Put the bowl in the freezer, then leave for 1 hr until the mixture starts to freeze around the edges. Whisk the mixture to break down the ice crystals, return to the freezer for 1 hr or more, then repeat the whisking.
• Meanwhile, cut a large food bag down one side and along the base and open out. Lightly oil a large loaf tin, ice-cream tub or food container, approximately 2 litres in capacity. Line with the plastic. Using a fork, lightly crush half the raspberries with the reserved sugar.
• Spoon one-third of the semi-frozen custard into the tin. Sprinkle over half the meringues and half the crushed raspberries. Spoon over 3 tbsp coulis. Cover with another third of the custard and then the remaining meringues, raspberries and another 3 tbsp coulis. Pour over the remaining custard, then put in the freezer for at least 4 hrs, or overnight. Can be frozen for up to 2 weeks.
• To serve, transfer the dessert to the fridge for 30-45 mins to soften it. When ready to eat, turn the cake out onto a dish, Scatter the raspberries over, then cut into thick slices and serve with a little coulis.

RASPBERRY AND PISTACHIO ICE CREAM ICEBOX CAKE

Steps:

• Line a 9x5" loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a few inches of overhang on all sides. Chill pan until ready to use. Toast nuts in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 5-8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop; set aside.
• Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream and powdered sugar in a large bowl until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Place jam in a medium bowl and whisk to loosen, then gently mix in half of whipped cream. Mix vanilla and salt into plain whipped cream.
• Scoop half of vanilla whipped cream into prepared loaf pan and spread into an even layer. Arrange a layer of cookies on top, breaking or cutting to fit as needed. Add half of raspberry whipped cream, smooth into an even layer, and top with another layer of cookies. Dollop ice cream across top and smooth into an even layer. Add a third layer of cookies, followed by remaining raspberry whipped cream. Repeat with a fourth layer of cookies and finally spread remaining vanilla whipped cream over (don't worry if it's a little higher than edges of pan). Scatter reserved pistachios on top. Cover with plastic overhang and freeze until set, at least 6 hours.
• To serve, using plastic overhang, unmold cake (if it's hesitant to come out, run the sides of the pan under warm water for a few seconds to loosen) and cut into slices. Do ahead: Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.

MERINGUE-TOPPED RASPBERRY AND PEACH ICE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 23/4-inch-high sides. Blend crumbs and sugar in processor. Add melted butter; process until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture over bottom and up sides of pan. Bake crust until slightly crisp, about 12 minutes. Cool crust completely, then freeze 15 minutes.
• For filling:
• Microwave peach ice cream on low in three 10-second intervals until slightly softened. Drop ice cream by large spoonfuls over bottom of crust; spread over crust. Place pan in freezer 15 minutes. Microwave raspberry sorbet on low in three 10-second intervals until slightly softened. Spoon sorbet in large dollops atop peach ice cream, then spread in even layer. Return pan to freezer 15 minutes. Repeat procedure with vanilla ice cream. Freeze until filling is firm, about 4 hours.
• For meringue:
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff and glossy, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Spoon meringue atop cake, mounding in center and spreading completely to edge of pan. Using rubber spatula or knife, swirl meringue decoratively, creating pointy tips. Freeze 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep frozen.)
• Preheat broiler. Broil cake just until meringue begins to turn light golden, about 2 minutes. Carefully remove pan sides. Place cake on platter. Serve within 10 minutes with Raspberry-Peach Compote.

MERINGUE CAKE WITH WHIPPED CREAM AND RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• The night before serving, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees.
• Line a lipped cookie sheet (approximately 12 by 18 inches) with parchment paper. Trace two side-by-side rectangles - about 5 inches by 12 or 13 inches - on the paper. Crumple the paper, then smooth it out again and line the bottom of the pan.
• Whisk together confectioner's sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until they turn from foamy to white and beaters just start to leave a trail. On low speed, add sugar mixture, a heaping tablespoon at a time. Increase speed to medium-high and beat to the consistency of marshmallow cream, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
• Just before forming meringues, flick water onto parchment with fingertips. Divide meringue in half, spooning two or three mounds down each traced rectangle. Use a rubber spatula, or a cake decorator's metal offset spatula, to fill in and even out rectangles.
• Set meringues in oven, close door and turn oven off (but leave oven light on). Let meringues dry overnight. Remove, then carefully set a wire rack or cookie sheet over meringues. Invert; peel off parchment and turn right side up. (It's OK if edges chip.) Wrap in foil and set aside until ready to proceed.
• No more than two hours before serving, whip cream to soft peaks, beating in remaining sugar and the vanilla. Set one meringue on a platter. Spread with half the cream and sprinkle on half the berries. Repeat with remaining meringue, cream and berries. Refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to serve.