Dessert: Coffee Meringue-Ice Cream Cake

Crunchy layers of meringue are the perfect compliment to smooth coffee ice cream in this adult ice cream cake. A few additions of salted, toasted almonds and ground coffee beans add complexity to its sophisticated flavor.

Ingredients

Vegetable-oil cooking spray
5 large egg whites
1 1/4 c. sugar
.13 tsp. fine salt
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. liquid coffee extract (preferably Trablit; culinarydistrict.com)
1 1/3 c. sliced natural almonds
1 1/4 tsp. Flaky sea salt
3 tbsp. high-quality roasted coffee beans
2 1/2 pt. coffee ice cream (preferably Haagen-Dazs)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Trace a 10-inch circle on each of 2 pieces of parchment. Turn over parchment, and place each on a baking sheet. Coat parchment with cooking spray. Place egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Stir until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add fine salt and cream of tartar, and beat with a mixer on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and meringue is almost cool, about 8 minutes.
Using the traced circles as a guide, gently mound slightly more than half the meringue on 1 piece of parchment and the remainder on the other. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon coffee extract over the smaller mound, and spread meringue into a flat disk, leaving the edge slightly swoopy and the top smooth. Spread out remaining mound into a slightly thicker disk, using a swirling motion, until it is about 1 1/2 inches away from edge of circle. Drizzle remaining coffee extract over second disk, and swirl in extract with a spoon, leaving some of it very distinct and spreading meringue to edge of circle. Bake meringues until crisp all the way through, about 4 hours. Remove from oven, and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
Raise oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Toss together almonds and 1 teaspoon sea salt on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until nuts are deep golden brown, about 18 minutes. Let cool completely. Coarsely grind coffee beans in a spice grinder.
Beat ice cream with a mixer on medium-low speed until slightly softened and mostly smooth, about 30 seconds. Add almonds and ground coffee, and beat until just incorporated. Spread ice cream mixture on flat meringue; sprinkle with remaining sea salt. Top with swirled thicker meringue. Freeze at least 20 minutes or (wrapped in plastic wrap) up to 6 hours. Let sit at room temperature 5 minutes. Cut into wedges, and serve. Looking for more dessert ideas? Check out our homemade chocolate chip cookie recipes, apple pie recipes, and chocolate cake recipes.