Guest chef Donna Hay’s Pandoro and Vanilla Bombe Alaska

This Christmas dessert is made with sweet Italian bread and fruity gin.

Pandora and Vanilla Bombe Alaska by Donna Hay. Picture: supplied

Pandoro, meaning “golden bread”, is an Italian star-shaped sweet bread, available from delicatessens and Italian grocers. If you can’t find it, use plain or fruit panettone. Sloe gin has a fruity flavour that complements this dessert well. If unavailable, simply omit it.

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Pandoro and Vanilla Bombe Alaska

1 x 1kg store-bought pandoro
¼ cup (60ml) sloe gin
3 litres store-bought vanilla ice-cream, softened
2 cups (260g) frozen raspberries

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Italian meringue

¹⁄³ cup (80ml) water
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
2 cups (440g) caster (superfine) sugar
150ml egg white (about 4 eggs)*

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Using a large serrated knife, slice about 2cm from base of pandoro. Using a 13cm round plate as a guide, trim and reserve base. Using the same plate as a guide and leaving a 2cm-thick edge, cut into underside of cake and remove the centre to make a hollow. Brush inside of pandoro with gin. Line a tray with non-stick baking paper. Place ice-cream and raspberries in a large bowl and mix to combine. Working quickly, spoon ice-cream mixture into the hollow, top with reserved base and press to secure. Place pandoro, base down, on tray; freeze for 3-4 hours or until solid.

To make the Italian meringue, place water, cream of tartar and half the sugar in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 4 minutes. Place eggwhite in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form. With the motor running, add the remaining 1 cup (220g) of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking for 30 seconds before adding more. Gradually add the hot sugar syrup in a thin steady stream and whisk for a further 4 minutes or until thick, glossy and cooled.

Place the pandoro on a cake stand or plate. Using a palette knife, spread the meringue over the pandoro. Using a small kitchen blowtorch, toast the meringue until golden brown. Serve immediately. Serves 8

*Use fresh, room-temperature eggs – this will help the whites become more voluminous when beaten. When separating eggs, take care to ensure no yolk escapes into the whites, and use very clean equipment to beat the whites.

Edited extract from Christmas Feasts and Treats by Donna Hay (Fourth Estate, $45), out now.