Baked Alaska with roasted strawberry ice cream

Heat the oven to 350F with a rack in the centre position.

Hull the strawberries and slice them between a quarter and an eighth of an inch thick.

Toss the sliced strawberries with two tablespoons of sugar on a half sheet pan and roast 20 to 25 minutes, until the juices have reduced to a thick syrup.

Loosen the roasted strawberries from the sheet and coat them in their own juices.

Stir in about a teaspoon of grated lemon zest, then chill the mixture until cold.

Press a piece of plastic wrap into each four ounce bowl, working it into the curves.

Scoop out 14 ounces of cold ice cream and work it against the side of the bowl until it is spreadable, like a thick batter, without letting it warm.

Fold in the cold roasted strawberries and their syrup a few times only, so the ice cream does not melt.

Divide between four moulds, smooth, fold the plastic over to flatten the surface and freeze solid, about an hour.

Line a quarter sheet tray with parchment. Beat the three yolks with half the sugar until lightly combined.

Stream in the oil and milk.

Add the flour, kosher salt and baking powder and whisk until smooth with no lumps.

Whip the three egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium low until broken up, then white and foamy; add the remaining sugar gradually and whip to firm peaks.

Fold half the whites into the batter to lighten it, then fold in the rest.

Spread into the prepared pan in an even layer with an offset spatula and tap the pan sharply on the counter to pop the large air bubbles.

Bake about 15 minutes, until evenly golden brown and springy to the touch, then cool.

Punch four rounds out of the cooled sponge with a ring cutter sized to the moulds.

Smooth the ice cream surface if needed and set a sponge round on each; return to the freezer.

Preheat the oven to 500F.

Cook the half cup of sugar, the corn syrup and the quarter cup of water on the stove, stirring only to dissolve the sugar and stopping once it boils.

Meanwhile whip the three egg whites with a pinch of salt and the cream of tartar until foamy and about doubled in volume.

At 235F turn the mixer back to full speed; at 240F stream the syrup slowly down the side of the bowl, avoiding the whisk.

Whip until the meringue holds super firm, glossy, dense peaks.

Unmould the ice creams by tugging down on the plastic wrap onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with a silpat.

Working quickly, cover each one in big dollops of meringue, spreading down and all the way around so no ice cream is exposed.

Bake at 500F no more than about two minutes, watching the whole time, until the meringue is toasted.

Transfer off the hot pan onto serving plates and serve immediately.