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1
Heat the oven to 350F.
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2
Butter an 8-inch square cake pan.
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3
In a medium heatproof bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer for 3 minutes or until thick and lemon colored.
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4
Gradually add the sugar, beating constantly for 4 to 5 minutes.
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5
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
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6
Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture.
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7
Stir in the milk, butter, and vanilla.
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8
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
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9
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched lightly.
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10
Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
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11
Using a 1-quart mixing bowl as a guide, cut out a round of cake.
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12
Cut the remaining cake scraps into pieces.
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13
Line the bowl with plastic wrap and press the cake scraps in the bottom and up the sides to cover the bowl completely.
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14
Put the ice cream on top of the cake scraps, pressing it into the bowl.
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15
Brush the cake round with the preserves and place it on the ice cream, brushed side down.
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16
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.
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17
To make the meringue, in a medium bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
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18
Gradually add the marshmallow cream, whipping until stiff peaks form.
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19
Remove the bowl from the freezer, unwrap, and unmold the chilled dome onto a foil-wrapped pizza pan.
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20
Discard the plastic wrap.
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21
Cover the dome with the meringue and freeze for 2 more hours.
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22
To serve, place an oven rack in the lowest position and heat the oven to 500F.
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23
Remove the dome from the freezer, place on a baking sheet, and bake for 3 to 4 minutes, until the meringue is lightly browned.
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24
Serve immediately.
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25
The interior of this mountain of browned meringue is the polar opposite of the ubiquitous molten lava cake.
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26
Exploring different flavor combinations is an adventurers dream.
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27
Try lining the bowl with rich vanilla ice cream and then filling the center with orange sherbert for a snow-capped dreamsicle.
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28
Lemon sorbet makes a refreshing surprise inside for lemon meringue pie fans.
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29
If you hanker for smores, go with dark chocolate ice cream.
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30
With the ever-expanding variety of premium ice creams out there, the sky is the limit.
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31
I tend to favor smooth ice creams so there arent any lumps to interfere with appreciating the strata of sponge cake, cold ice cream, and fluffy meringue.
