Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Meringue Discs
- 120 g egg whites, room temperature
- 240 g caster sugar
- 1 g fine sea salt
Ice Cream Filling
- 1000 g vanilla bean ice cream, softened slightly for 10 minutes
- 150 g hard honey almond nougat
- 100 g dark chocolate, block format
Chantilly Cream Exterior
- 500 ml heavy cream, chilled
- 50 g icing sugar, sifted
- 10 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 523 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 64 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 42 g
- Sodium
- 153 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 16 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 56 mg
- Potassium
- 372 mg
- Calcium
- 222 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 44 mg
- Phosphorus
- 195 mg
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 187 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.37 mg
- Niacin
- 0.3 mg
- Folate
- 9 mcg
- Water
- 80 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 6 mg
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 100°C/212°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and trace two 20cm circles on the paper as a guide, then flip the paper over.
In a spotlessly clean mixer bowl, whip the egg whites and salt on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the caster sugar one spoonful at a time, whipping continuously until the meringue forms stiff, glossy peaks.
Divide the meringue between the two traced circles on the parchment paper. Use an offset spatula to spread and shape the meringue into flat, even discs.
Bake the meringue discs in the preheated oven at 100°C/212°F for 90 minutes. They should remain pale but feel entirely dry to the touch.
Turn off the oven and leave the meringue discs inside with the door closed for 1 hour to cool slowly and dry out completely.
Using a heavy knife, chop the nougat into very fine pieces. Use a box grater or vegetable peeler to shave the dark chocolate block into shards.
Line the inside of the 20cm springform pan with a double layer of plastic wrap, leaving plenty of overhang to easily lift the dessert out once frozen.
Carefully place one cooled meringue disc at the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Spread half of the softened vanilla ice cream in an even layer over the meringue base.
Scatter half of the chopped nougat and half of the dark chocolate shavings evenly over the ice cream layer.
Place the second meringue disc on top, pressing down very gently. Spread the remaining ice cream over it, then sprinkle the remaining nougat and chocolate evenly across the top.
Fold the plastic wrap overhang inward to cover the top completely. Freeze the pan for at least 6 hours, or overnight, until the ice cream is frozen solid.
Shortly before serving or finalizing the dessert, whip the chilled heavy cream, sifted icing sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl until firm peaks form.
Remove the dessert from the freezer. Open the springform pan and use the plastic wrap to lift the frozen cake onto a chilled serving plate. Remove all plastic wrap. Use a spatula to quickly frost the entire exterior top and sides with the freshly whipped chantilly cream.
Return the frosted dessert to the freezer for 1 hour to allow the chantilly cream coating to set completely before slicing with a hot knife.
Chef's Notes
- For the cleanest slices, dip a long, thin blade in boiling water and wipe it completely dry before every single cut.
- Do not let the ice cream melt into a liquid state before assembly, as refreezing liquid ice cream causes large, icy crystals to form, ruining the mouthfeel.
- You can customize this foundational dessert with a drizzle of salted caramel or raspberry coulis between the layers before freezing.
- If your nougat is excessively hard, microwave it for 3 to 5 seconds to soften slightly before chopping to save your knife blade.
Storage
Freezer: 1 month — Wrap tightly in cling film or place in an airtight cake dome to prevent freezer burn and odor absorption.
Troubleshooting
Meringue discs crack significantly or crumble when assembling
Cause: Meringues are inherently fragile and may have been pressed too hard, or were spread too thin.
Fix: Piece the cracked meringue together inside the springform pan; the ice cream will freeze and hold the structure together invisibly.
Prevention: Ensure the meringue is piped to a thickness of at least 1.5cm. Handle gently.
Ice cream melts and becomes messy during assembly
Cause: Kitchen environment is too hot or the assembly process took too long.
Fix: Place the pan in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes between layering steps to allow the ice cream to firm back up.
Prevention: Have all components chopped, shaved, and ready before taking the ice cream out. Keep the pan chilled.
Egg whites fail to reach stiff peaks
Cause: Presence of fat in the bowl, or yolks mixed into the whites.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Discard the whites and start over with clean equipment.
Prevention: Wipe the mixing bowl and whisk with a few drops of lemon juice or white vinegar before starting to remove any residual fats.
Cultural Context
The Vacherin glace is a cornerstone of classic French patisserie, invented in the 19th century when European ice cream parlors were seeking spectacular ways to present frozen desserts. It was named after the famous Vacherin cheese wheel, which it visually mimics when coated in white chantilly cream. The brilliant pairing of dry, crunchy baked meringue with rich, melting ice cream was a breakthrough in textural contrast that remains unmatched in culinary history.
