Hummingbird baked alaska (gluten-free)

Lottie Hedley

This recipe is by Andrew and Julia Clarke from Victoria Street Bistro (Hamilton), taken from The Great New Zealand Baking Book (published by Thom Productions and PQ Blackwell, $49.95).

To celebrate its launch - and because it'll be Mother's Day before we know it - we're giving away a special afternoon tea for one lucky mum and five of her friends. Chef Michelle Pattison will make two sweet and two savoury treats using recipes from the book for you all to enjoy (including these afghan yo-yos) and the book's creator, Murray Thom, will deliver it all, boxed, to your home on the day — along with bubbles (because this is a celebration, after all) and a copy of the baking book for each of you. Enter here

Cake

5 medium	Bananas, you'll need to make 2 cups when crushed (Main)
3 cups	Gluten-free flour (Main)
1 tsp	Salt
1 tsp	Baking soda
2 tsp	Ground cinnamon
1 cup	White sugar
1 cup	Brown sugar
1 Tbsp	Vanilla extract
3	Eggs
½ cup	Canola oil
½ cup	Olive oil
1 cup	Chopped pecans, approx 100g
1 cup	Canned crushed pineapple, drain well

Raw sugar meringue

1 cup	Egg white, approx 7 eggs
2 cups	Raw sugar
1 Tbsp	Vanilla extract

To assemble

¼ cup	Chopped pecans, approx 50g
¼ cup	Pumpkin seeds, approx 35g
¼ cup	Poppy seeds, approx 35g
¼ cup	Sunflower seeds, approx 35g
1 Ltr	Ice cream, good-quality vanilla bean or mascarpone ice cream

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C. Place whole bananas on a baking tray and roast for 10 minutes, then cool. When cool enough to handle, peel and crush using the back of a fork.
2. Turn oven down to 170C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
3. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. In a separate bowl beat together sugars, vanilla and eggs until thick and creamy. Whisk oils into egg mixture. Add dry ingredients all at once and stir to incorporate, then add pecans, pineapple and banana and stir until combined.
4. Spread mixture about 3cm thick on a lined baking tray and bake for around 20 minutes until done. Cool on the tray for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and place in the fridge to chill.
5. For the meringue: Place all ingredients in a large metal bowl, place over a pan of simmering water and whisk continuously until sugar dissolves (around 5 minutes). Transfer to a cake mixer with whisk attachment and whisk on high for around 4 minutes, until meringue is rich and velvety. Place in a piping bag in the freezer until needed.
6. To assemble: Heat oven to 200C fan-bake (230C regular). Mix nuts and seeds together. Cut chilled cake in half. Cover one half with a layer of icecream 3cm thick and place the other cake half on top. Press down firmly. Cut into 4 cm squares or logs (or whatever shape you like), and place on a tray lined with baking paper. Pipe meringue neatly all over the cakes, sprinkle with nut/seed mix and fan-bake for about 3 minutes, until meringue is cooked but icecream is not melted. Serve immediately.

Extra tips

• The bombes can be flambeed at the table for a dramatic effect. Turn down the lights, gently warm a shot or two of cointreau, set it alight and pour over the top of the dessert (best to use something with a handle for this).
• We serve this dessert with poached stonefruit, but it is great on its own or with a simple creme anglaise.
• Feel free to mix up the flavours of the icecream, meringue, liqueur or cake - have fun with it.