Omelette Norvégienne (Baked Alaska)

Sponge cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Beat the eggs (without clarifying them) and the caster sugar in a double boiler until the mixture becomes foamy and doubles in volume.
4. Gradually add the flour, gently incorporating it into the beaten eggs.
5. Pour this mixture onto the baking sheet and tap it on the countertop to even out the dough and expel air bubbles.
6. Bake for 30 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes

Vanilla ice cream

1. Heat the milk in a large non-stick pan.
2. Split the vanilla pod in half and extract the seeds.
3. Add them with the pod to the pan of hot milk.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks with the sugar and then slowly add the milk, still hot, without ceasing to beat.
5. Pour this preparation back into the pan and thicken over low heat, stirring continuously using a large wooden spoon.
6. When the cream begins to coat the spoon, remove it from the heat.
7. Let cool and finally add the heavy cream.
8. Add the preparation into an airtight glass container and place it in the freezer.
9. After 30 minutes, take out the ice cream, scrape it with a fork to avoid the formation of crystals.
10. Repeat this operation 4 times to obtain a creamy ice cream.
11. Place in the freezer for 1 hour.

Syrup

1. Bring the water and sugar to a boil.
2. Cook for 10 minutes over low to medium heat, then add the Grand Marnier.

Meringue

1. The day before, crack the eggs and separate them. Reserve the egg whites in a bowl covered with plastic wrap and let them age outside the fridge overnight.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, start beating the egg whites at medium speed until they become frothy.
3. Then add a tablespoon of caster sugar and 4 drops of lemon juice.
4. Beat for about 1 minute at maximum speed so that the sugar has time to dissolve in the egg whites.
5. Add a second spoonful of caster sugar, and continue beating. Add the remaining sugar gradually until it is dissolved.
6. When all the sugar is incorporated, the meringue is very smooth, very dense and very shiny.
7. Pour the beaten egg whites into a pastry bag with the pastry tip of your choice.

Assembly

1. Place a sheet of parchment paper at the bottom of a rectangular cake mold (about 10 inches long).
2. Cut a slice of sponge cake to the size of the mold and brush syrup on it.
3. Line the sponge cake with vanilla ice cream.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and place the mold in the freezer for at least 4 hours.

Decoration

1. Preheat the oven to 430 F.
2. Take the mold out of the freezer 5 minutes prior.
3. Unmold and place the ice cream on a rectangular serving dish and coat with meringue using the pastry bag.
4. Place the omelette norvégienne in the freezer for 30 minutes.

First option

1. Put the oven in the grill position.
2. Take the omelette norvégienne out of the freezer and place it in the oven in a cold bain-marie, just long enough to brown it (watch very closely)

Second option

1. Brown the meringue with a blowtorch.

Flambéing

1. Keep in the freezer until serving.
2. Heat the Grand Marnier in a small saucepan over high heat.
3. Remove from heat, and light it up
4. Pour the flaming alcohol over the meringue.
5. Taste immediately.