Bombe Alaska

Few desserts impress like this sugar-sweet spectacle.

Bombe Alaska.

Atheatrical display of fire and ice, the bombe Alaska sees a dome of chocolate or vanilla ice-cream grounded by a thick layer of sponge cake and coated with elegant whips of torched meringue. The showstopping dessert is a fire-fuelled interpretation of the baked Alaska

– a dish supposedly created in a New Orleans restaurant in 1867, honouring the United States’ acquisition of Alaska from the Russian Empire. While the baked version is put to work in an oven, the bombe Alaska is flambéed or blowtorched to create a crisp, golden exterior.

Sydney’s Firedoor has seen a few variations of bombe Alaska on its menu; from smoked white chocolate with desert lime to coconut and green mango. Although it’s not permanently on the menu, it makes an occasional comeback.