Baked Alaska (omelette norvégienne): ice cream under golden meringue, the festive showstopper dessert
Ice cream, well chilled, hidden under a hot, golden meringue: baked Alaska never fails to impress at the end of a meal. Contrary to what you might think, it's a dessert that is almost entirely prepared in advance. The final step, two minutes under the grill, is done just before serving.
- 8 people, 40 min prep time
- Assembled sponge and ice cream the day before, in the freezer
- Italian meringue with syrup, on the induction hob
- 2 to 3 min under the grill, or a quick blast with a blowtorch
Appliance and settingOven 180 °C, induction hob, then grill
Ingredients
Hot outside, frozen inside
The Norwegian omelette is nothing like an omelette: it's a sponge, a thick layer of ice cream, and a meringue that is browned at the last moment. The meringue insulates the ice cream from the heat, so it stays cold beneath the golden crust. It's the ideal dessert to replace or accompany the Yule log, and almost everything can be done the day before.
The steps
- The day before: the sponge. Preheat the oven to 180 °C fan. Whisk the eggs, sugar and salt for 8 minutes with the mixer, until the mixture pales and triples in volume. Fold in the sifted flour gently with a spatula. Spread onto a tray lined with baking paper and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Leave to cool.
- The day before: assembly. Cut the sponge to the size of an ovenproof dish (about 25 x 15 cm), place it at the bottom and soak it with syrup or orange juice. Leave the ice cream to soften for 10 minutes, then spread it in a dome over the sponge: vanilla first, sorbet in the centre. Leave in the freezer for at least one night.
- On the day: the syrup. In a small saucepan, put the sugar and water. Heat on the hob at level 7 (out of 9), without stirring. The syrup is ready at 118 °C, after 5 to 6 minutes of large bubbles.
- The Italian meringue. While the syrup cooks, start whisking the egg whites to soft peaks at medium speed. When the syrup is ready, pour it in a thin stream over the whites, down the side of the bowl, whisking at high speed. Continue for 8 to 10 minutes, until the meringue is warm, thick and glossy.
- Cover. Take the dome out of the freezer. Cover it completely with meringue, in a thick layer (at least 2 cm), right to the edge of the dish, without leaving any gaps. Make peaks with the back of a spoon, or use a piping bag.
- Brown. Set the grill to full power and place the dish on level 3, quite close to the top. Allow 2 to 3 minutes, door closed, watching through the glass: the peaks should be golden, not black. With a blowtorch, pass the flame in quick movements over the whole surface.
- Serve straight away. Decorate with raspberries or flaked almonds and cut into portions with a knife dipped in hot water.
Appliance settings
| Step | Appliance and mode | Setting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bake the sponge | Oven, fan-assisted | 180 °C, shelf level 2 | 10 to 12 min |
| Bake the sponge (variant) | Oven, conventional heat | 190 °C, rack level 2 | 10 to 12 min |
| Meringue syrup | Induction hob | Level 7, without stirring | 5 to 6 min, up to 118 °C |
| Brown the meringue | Grill (large grill) | Maximum power, shelf level 3 | 2 to 3 min, under supervision |
| Brown the meringue (variant) | Fan grill | 230 °C, shelf level 3 | 3 to 4 min |
Preheat the grill for 5 minutes before putting the dish in: it needs to be very hot to brown the meringue in record time, before the heat reaches the ice cream. A fan grill browns slightly taller domes more evenly.
Variations
- Individual portions : 8 cm sponge discs, a scoop of ice cream on each, meringue, and a pass under the grill on a baking tray.
- With speculoos : swap the sponge for speculoos soaked in coffee, and the vanilla for speculoos ice cream.
- Exotic fruit : mango and passion fruit sorbet, and a few diced pieces of pineapple on the sponge.
- Flambéed : for adults, pour 4 cl of warmed Grand Marnier over the golden meringue and flambé at the table, well away from anything flammable.
Storage and advance preparation
The sponge and ice cream dome can be made up to a week in advance : wrapped well in cling film, it waits in the freezer. The meringue is made on the day itself, but you can cover the dessert one to two hours ahead and return it to the freezer: Italian meringue copes very well with the cold. All that's left is the pass under the grill when it's time for dessert.
Leftovers can be kept in the freezer, but the meringue loses its crispness: it's best eaten the next day.
Use a dish that goes safely from freezer to oven, in porcelain or metal, never toughened glass. And choose an oven whose grill covers the full width: the dessert browns in one go, with no pale patches. If your grill is small, turn the dish halfway round at the halfway point.
Which appliance?
For this dessert, the quality of the grill makes all the difference: it needs to be powerful and even.
A multifunction oven with a good grill
A full-width grill or a fan grill browns the whole meringue in one go. Examples from us: Bosch HBA572BW3F (pyrolytic, Air Fry plate included), Siemens HB774G2B1 (iQ700, cooking probe, up to 300 °C), Smeg SFP6401TB (pyrolytic, strong fan grill), Hisense BI64211EPX (pyrolytic, budget pick).
From 449,99 € to 1 229,99 €
A precise induction hob
For a syrup that heats quickly and evenly: Siemens EH631BJB6E, three zones with booster and 17 cooking positions.
609,99 €
An induction cooker
The Beko FBE68314MXC combines a three-zone induction hob and a 72-litre multifunction oven.
699,99 €
Public prices noted on 15 October 2026: the product page is definitive, and Nimesclub members often get a reduced price.
Ovens with a good grill in store
BOSCH HBA572BW3F Built-in Oven€829.00
SIEMENS HB774G2B1 Built-in Oven€1,229.00
Built-in oven HISENSE BI64211EPX€449.00
Built-in oven SMEG SFP6401TB€699.00
Induction Hob SIEMENS EH631BJB6E€609.00
Cooker BEKO FBE68314MXC€699.00Grill only or fan grill? Our guide to oven functions explains the difference. And to fit all the Christmas Eve dishes in the same oven, follow our Christmas menu planner.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't the ice cream melt under the meringue?
Meringue is full of air, and air insulates very well against heat. With a very short pass under a very hot grill, only the surface of the meringue browns: the ice cream stays cold. That's why you need a thick layer of meringue everywhere, with no gaps.
Can you use a French meringue, without syrup?
Yes, by whisking the egg whites into stiff peaks with the sugar added little by little. But Italian meringue, cooked by the hot syrup, is more stable, glossier and safer to eat, because the whites are heated.
Do you need a thermometer for the syrup?
It's simpler, but not essential: the syrup is ready when it forms large, tight bubbles and a drop dropped into cold water forms a soft little ball, after 5 to 6 minutes of boiling.
The right oven makes all the difference
Steam ovens, pyrolytic ovens, induction hobs: come and see them at our Temploux store, or ask our expert salesperson for advice.
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