For the ice-cream, line the pudding basin with two layers of cling film, leaving enough hanging over the edge to cover the sides of the basin.

Place the ice cream in the basin (you may need to allow it to soften for a few minutes) and stir through the roughly chopped hot cross buns. Press down to get a smooth surface , giving it a few gentle bangs to help remove any air holes. Cover the top with the cling film and return it to the freezer.

Grease a 20cm cake tin and line with non-stick baking paper. Line base of tin with the hot cross bun quarters to fit snuggly.

Whisk milk, cream, eggs, sugar and vanilla together in a large jug. Pour the mixture over buns.

Preheat oven to 160°C or 140°C fan-forced.

Stand cake tin in a baking dish and pour in boiling water to come halfway up the side.

Bake for 1 hr until set and browned.

Remove tin from dish and cool completely. Run a knife around edge of pudding, turn onto a plate. Remove paper and invert pudding onto a wire rack to cool completely.

In a large, spotlessly clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with cream of tartar until they form soft peaks when the whisk is removed.

Add half of the caster sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed and the meringue is satiny and glossy. Fold in the remaining sugar with a metal spoon or spatula.

Place 3/4 cup of the meringue in a piping bag fitted with a fat plain nozzle tip (Wilton 1A is preferable).

Place the hot cross bun pudding base on a cake stand or serving platter. If you don’t have a kitchen blow torch, place it on a baking tray (with no lip, so it can be easily removed).

Take the ice cream out of the freezer. With the help of the cling film, remove the ice cream from the pudding bowl and place it upside down on the pudding base, remove all the cling film.

Quickly spoon over the meringue, spreading it thickly and in peaks over the ice cream and the sides of the cake right down to the baking tray. You can cook the baked Alaska immediately or you can return it to the freezer for up to an hour. I like to use a kitchen blow torch to brown the outside of the meringue. If you don’t have access to a kitchen blow torch, place the Hot Cross Bomb Alaska on a baking tray in the centre of the hot oven for 3-4 minutes (or 6-9 minutes if frozen) or until the meringue is set on the outside and golden in colour.

Carefully transfer the baked Alaska to a serving plate, using a palette knife dipped in hot water to help you slide and push it onto the plate.

Using the piping bag filled with meringue, pip a cross over your dome, and serve immediately.