Tipsy ice-cream bombe

SERVES 8 PREP AND COOK TIME 30 MINUTES

4cm thick slice of panettone 2 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur 500ml carton vanilla, ginger or caramel flavoured ice-cream

FLUFFY FROSTING

1½ cups (330g) caster sugar ½ cup (125ml) water 3 egg whites 1 Trim the thick slice of panettone into a 15cm round (about 2cm larger than the ice-cream) and place on a plate or board. Brush with the liqueur. 2 Remove the ice-cream from the carton by using scissors to cut down the side of the carton. Invert the ice-cream onto the panettone. Place in the freezer. 3 FLUFFY FROSTING Stir sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Boil, without stirring, for about 5 minutes or until syrup reaches 115°C on a sugar thermometer. Allow bubbles to subside. Towards the end of syrup cooking time, beat the egg whites in a clean medium bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. With motor operating, slowly add hot syrup to egg whites in a thin steady stream, beating for 7-8 minutes or until mixture is thick and stands in firm peaks. The frosting should almost be cool at this stage. 4 Spread the Fluffy Frosting all over the ice-cream, mounding up in the centre and swirling with the back of a spoon or palette knife. Return to the freezer until ready to serve. 5 Just before serving, use a kitchen blowtorch to lightly brown the frosting. Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.