Mexican Hot Chocolate Rocky Road Baked Alaska

Step by step

1. Line a 2-quart freezer-safe bowl with two overlapping sheets of plastic wrap, leaving generous overhang. This little bit of preparation is what lets the finished dome come out cleanly, like one of those dining-room reveals people still talk about years later.
2. Make the ice cream center: whisk 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, espresso powder, cayenne, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 cup whipping cream into the condensed milk until smooth. Whip the remaining 2 cups cream to medium peaks, then fold one-third into the cocoa mixture to lighten it. Fold in the rest just until no white streaks remain.
3. Fold in the marshmallows and chocolate chips. Spoon the mixture into the lined bowl, level the surface, and cover directly with the plastic overhang. Freeze until completely firm, at least 6 hours or overnight.
4. For the cocoa sponge, heat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment, and grease the parchment. Beat the whole eggs with 1/4 cup granulated sugar for 4 to 5 minutes, until pale, thick, and able to leave a ribbon on the surface.
5. Sift together the flour, remaining 1/4 cup cocoa powder, and baking powder. Fold them gently into the egg foam in two additions. Mix the oil with 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons whipping cream, fold in a spoonful of batter to loosen it, then fold that mixture back into the bowl. Spread in the pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the center springs back and reaches about 200°F. Cool completely.
6. Trim the cooled sponge, if necessary, so it matches the widest part of the frozen ice cream dome. Unwrap the top of the ice cream, press the sponge onto it, cover, and freeze for another 30 minutes so the two layers settle in together.
7. For the Swiss meringue, place the egg whites, superfine sugar, and cream of tartar in a completely clean heatproof bowl. Set it over a saucepan containing an inch of barely simmering water; the bowl must not touch the water. Whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reaches 160°F, 4 to 6 minutes.
8. Remove the bowl from the heat and beat at high speed until the meringue is glossy, forms stiff peaks, and the bowl no longer feels warm, about 6 to 8 minutes. This cooked meringue gives you a sturdy coat instead of a sweet puddle sliding down the ice cream.
9. Heat the oven to 500°F with a rack in the upper third. Invert the frozen dome onto a parchment-lined, oven-safe platter or sturdy sheet pan and remove the plastic. Working quickly, spread the meringue over the entire dome and down to the pan, sealing every gap. Make generous swoops with the back of a spoon—the craggy peaks toast like the edges of a campfire marshmallow.
10. Bake for 2 to 4 minutes, watching without stepping away, until the meringue peaks are deeply golden while the ice cream remains firm. Let stand for 2 minutes, then finish off the heat with CINNAMON VANILLA or the measured sea-salt-and-cinnamon alternative. Slice with a hot, dry knife and serve immediately, while the outside is warm and toasted and the center still carries that cold supper-club magic. DUNZO!