Helen Goh’s recipe for lemon meringue bombe alaska with pistachio cake | The sweet spot

The toasted meringue reveals tangy ice-cream with nutty sponge in this dramatic celebration dessert. Ta-da!

There’s a touch of theatre to a bombe Alaska: the soft swoops of toasted meringue, the hidden layers revealed at the slice, the contrast of cold and flame … This one takes its cue from lemon meringue pie, reimagined as an icy dessert with a gently tangy heart. The lemon ice-cream is no-churn, which makes it blissfully easy, and it softens into a mousse-like texture, rather than melting, so this is great for entertaining, when timing isn’t always precise. Underneath is a tender pistachio sponge for a little texture and subtle nuttiness, and it’s all wrapped in a satiny meringue, torched to golden. It’s a dessert that feels doable but celebratory, a little retro and entirely joyful.