Perfect Vacherin Glace Dessert
Discover how to make Vacherin Glace Dessert—a dreamy French ice cream cake with crispy meringue, creamy layers, and whipped cream that tastes like pure heaven.
A vacherin glacé dessert is essentially a showstopping French ice cream cake wrapped in delicate meringue clouds and swirled with Chantilly cream.
It layers vanilla ice cream, tangy raspberry sorbet, and airy meringue into one elegant dessert that tastes like a fancy patisserie creation but comes together surprisingly easily in your own kitchen.
I’ll never forget the first time I tasted this french vacherin dessert at a tiny bistro in Lyon—crispy meringue giving way to cool, creamy ice cream, finished with a cloud of barely-sweetened whipped cream. It felt like eating a sophisticated ice cream sandwich that someone had elevated to art.
The best part? You don’t need any fancy pastry training to pull this off at home. If you’re already a fan of elegant frozen treats, you’ll definitely want to check out our ultimate pistachio ice cream cake for another stunning option.
Why You’ll Love This Vacherin Glacé Recipe
This vacherin glacé recipe wins hearts for so many reasons:
- It looks absolutely restaurant-fancy but uses straightforward techniques you probably already know
- The texture contrast is incredible—crispy meringue, smooth ice cream, fluffy cream all in one bite
- You can make it ahead, which means zero stress when guests arrive
- It’s surprisingly forgiving (meringue cracks? Just cover them with more cream!)
- Customization is endless—swap flavors, change up the fruit, make it your own
I remember my first attempt looked a bit wonky (okay, very wonky), but everyone still devoured it because the flavors were spot-on. According to King Arthur Baking, meringue is all about patience and low heat—rush either one and you’ll end up with weepy, chewy disappointment instead of crispy perfection. Trust the slow bake.
Table of Contents
Nutritional Peek
Here’s what you’re looking at per generous slice (serves 8):
| Nutrient | Per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 385 |
| Protein | 4g |
| Carbohydrates | 52g |
| Fat | 18g |
(These are estimates based on standard ingredients—your actual numbers may vary depending on ice cream brands and portion sizes.)
Ingredients You’ll Need for Vacherin Glace Dessert
This french vacherin dessert comes together with three simple components—meringue, ice cream, and clouds of whipped cream. Here’s your shopping list:
| Amount | Ingredient | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Meringue | ||
| 3 | egg whites | Room temperature works best |
| 100g (3.5oz) | granulated sugar | |
| 100g (3.5oz) | icing sugar (powdered sugar) | Sift it to avoid lumps |
| Ice Cream Layers | ||
| 500g (18oz) | vanilla ice cream | Go for quality—it matters here |
| 400g (14oz) | raspberry sorbet | You can swap for strawberry or lemon |
| Chantilly Cream | ||
| 300g (10.5oz) | whipping cream (30% fat) | Don’t use ultra-pasteurized if you can avoid it |
| ¼ tsp | vanilla powder or extract | Just a whisper of flavor |
| 1 tbsp | Chambord or Kirsch (optional) | Adds a lovely grown-up note |
| Decoration | ||
| handful | pistachios, chopped | Or flaked almonds work beautifully |
| dusting | icing sugar | For that snow-dusted look |
| 12–15 | fresh raspberries | Because pretty matters |
Want to make your own ice cream from scratch? Our chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting pairs perfectly with homemade vanilla ice cream if you’re feeling ambitious!
Equipment You’ll Need
Essential:
- 18cm (7-inch) cake ring or springform pan
- Electric mixer (hand or stand—your arm will thank you)
- Piping bags with plain and star tips
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Offset spatula
Nice to Have:
- Kitchen timer (meringue waits for no one)
- Fine-mesh sieve for dusting
- Bench scraper for smooth edges
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let me walk you through this vacherin glacé cake like we’re baking together in my kitchen—it’s easier than it looks, I promise.
Making the Meringue Discs
Grab your 18cm cake ring and trace it onto parchment paper—this little guide makes piping so much easier. Preheat your oven to 130°C (110°C fan/250°F/Gas ½). Yes, it’s low. That’s the secret to crispy-not-chewy meringue.
Using your electric mixer, whip those egg whites until they’re foamy and starting to hold soft peaks. Gradually sprinkle in a third of your granulated sugar while beating—you’ll see the mixture turn glossy and brilliant white.
Add the remaining sugar and keep whipping until you get stiff, shiny peaks that stand straight up when you lift the beaters. Stop the mixer and gently fold in your sifted icing sugar with a spatula (don’t stir it in or you’ll deflate all that gorgeous air you just whipped in).
Transfer your meringue to a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip. Starting from the center of your traced circle, pipe a tight spiral outward until you fill the whole disc.
With the leftover meringue, either pipe another disc or create little meringue “kisses” for decorating the sides later—I usually do about 12–15 small kisses around the edge of the baking sheet.
Slide everything into your cool oven and bake for a full hour. Don’t peek too much! The meringues should lift easily off the parchment when done and sound hollow when you tap the bottom. Let them cool completely on the tray.
Building Your Vacherin Glace Dessert Ice Cream Layers
This part’s actually super fun. Place your cake ring on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Using slightly softened vanilla ice cream (let it sit out for 5–10 minutes), spread it into an even layer inside the ring, about 2cm thick. Pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes until firm.
Remove and spread your raspberry sorbet on top of the vanilla layer, smoothing it out as evenly as you can. Back to the freezer for another 30 minutes. (If you’re working in a warm kitchen, work quickly—nobody wants ice cream soup.)
The Grand Assembly with Chantilly Cream
Now for the fun part! Whip your cream for about 5 minutes until it forms lovely stiff peaks. There’s no need to add sugar here—between the sweet meringue and ice cream, you’ve got plenty. Fold in your vanilla and liqueur if using, then transfer to a piping bag fitted with your prettiest star tip.
Here’s where speed matters. Remove your Vacherin Glace Dessert mold from the freezer and carefully lift off the cake ring (run a warm knife around the edge if it’s stubborn). Place one meringue disc underneath as your base—if it’s slightly smaller, that’s fine, it’ll be hidden.
Spread about a third of your whipped cream all over the top and sides of the Vacherin Glace Dessert cylinder. Now stick those little meringue kisses around the sides, using dabs of cream as glue. Pipe the remaining cream in gorgeous rosettes around the top edge. (Pro tip: if your cream starts to look droopy, stick the whole thing back in the freezer for 10 minutes.)
Scatter with chopped pistachios, fresh raspberries, and a gentle snowfall of icing sugar. You can serve immediately or freeze for another 30 minutes if you want everything super firm.
Pro Tips & Guidance from My Kitchen to Yours
Start your vacherin glacé recipe with this hard-won wisdom: make the meringue the day before if you’re feeling stressed about timing. It stores beautifully in an airtight container.
Room temperature egg whites whip up with more volume than cold ones—I usually separate my eggs and let the whites sit out for 30 minutes. A tiny pinch of cream of tartar helps stabilize the meringue if your kitchen is humid.
For the ice cream layers, slightly softened is key. Too hard and you’ll struggle to spread it; too soft and your layers will merge together. According to Serious Eats, premium ice creams with lower overrun (less air whipped in) give you denser, creamier layers that hold their shape better.
When whipping your Chantilly cream, start on medium speed and finish on high for the last minute. Over-whip and you’ll end up with butter (trust me, I’ve been there).
Troubleshooting Guide
Meringue spread too much during baking? No worries—your peaks might have been a little soft. Next time, whip the egg whites a bit longer until they’re properly stiff. You can trim any wonky edges with a sharp knife once cooled.
Ice cream melting too fast during assembly? Pop everything back in the freezer for 10–15 minutes between steps. Work near your freezer if possible, and clear out a shelf beforehand so you’re not playing freezer Tetris with a melting cake.
Meringue cracked? That’s totally normal and actually looks charmingly rustic! Just cover any cracks with extra whipped cream or position your raspberries strategically—no one will ever know.
Cream looks grainy? You over-whipped it slightly. Don’t panic! Fold in a tablespoon or two of fresh, unwhipped cream to smooth it out.
Variations & Twists on Your Vacherin Glacé
The beauty of a vacherin glacé cake is how endlessly adaptable it is. Swap the raspberry sorbet for passion fruit, mango, or lemon for different flavor profiles. During summer, I love using fresh peach ice cream with blackberry sorbet.
For a chocolate version, use chocolate ice cream and cherry sorbet, then add shaved dark chocolate on top instead of pistachios. Divine.
Make it boozy by brushing the meringue with a little liqueur before adding the ice cream, or keep it family-friendly by skipping the Chambord entirely.
Want individual servings? Use small ring molds to create personal-sized vacherins—they’re adorable for dinner parties. For more creative frozen dessert ideas, browse through our collection including these fantastic chocolate chip muffins without eggs that pair beautifully alongside.
Serving, Storage & Reheating
Your beautiful french vacherin dessert should be served frozen or very cold. Remove it from the freezer about 5 minutes before slicing to make cutting easier—use a sharp knife dipped in hot water, wiping it clean between slices.
Store any leftovers (if there are any!) covered tightly in the freezer for up to a week. The meringue will soften slightly over time from the moisture, but honestly, it still tastes incredible.
Individual components can be made ahead: meringues keep for a week in an airtight container at room temperature, and you can assemble the Vacherin Glace Dessert layers and freeze them for up to 3 days before the final decoration.
No-Waste Kitchen Magic
Don’t toss those leftover egg yolks! Use them to make a silky crème anglaise, rich lemon curd, or fold them into tomorrow’s scrambled eggs for extra richness.
Broken meringue pieces are absolutely perfect crushed and layered into parfaits or folded into vanilla ice cream for an Eton mess-inspired treat.
Extra whipped cream? Dollop it on hot chocolate, fresh berries, or your morning coffee—you deserve it.
Vacherin Glace Dessert FAQw
Can I freeze this vacherin glacé dessert for longer than a week?
Absolutely! It’ll keep for up to a month in the freezer, though the meringue texture may soften more over time. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and then foil to prevent freezer burn.
What’s the difference between vacherin glacé and pavlova?
Great question! While both use meringue, a vacherin glacé recipe specifically features ice cream or sorbet layers, whereas pavlova is topped with fresh whipped cream and fruit without freezing. Think of vacherin as pavlova’s fancy frozen cousin.
Can I make this without a piping bag?
You can, though the presentation won’t be quite as elegant. Use a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off for the meringue, and spread the Chantilly cream with an offset spatula instead of piping rosettes.
My meringue came out chewy instead of crispy—what happened?
Likely culprits: oven temperature too high, not enough baking time, or humid weather. Meringue hates humidity! Next time, bake low and slow, and make sure your oven temperature is accurate (an oven thermometer helps).
Can I use store-bought meringues?
In a pinch, yes! Look for large meringue nests or pavlova bases at specialty stores. The homemade version tastes better and costs less, but I won’t judge if you’re short on time.
Let’s Celebrate This Beautiful Creation!
There’s something genuinely magical about slicing into a vacherin glacé dessert and watching your guests’ faces light up—crispy meringue shattering into cool, creamy ice cream swirled with tangy sorbet and clouds of barely-sweetened cream. It’s elegant enough for the fanciest dinner party but approachable enough for a summer weekend project.
I’d absolutely love to see your vacherin creations! Drop a comment below sharing your flavor combinations, any creative twists you tried, or simply how it turned out. And if you’re hooked on impressive frozen desserts, don’t miss our ultimate pistachio ice cream cake next—it’s another stunner that’ll have everyone asking for the recipe.
Now go forth and create something beautiful. Your freezer is about to become a whole lot more exciting.
Vacherin Glacé: French Meringue Ice Cream Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Grab your 18cm cake ring and trace it onto parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 130°C (110°C fan/250°F/Gas ½).
- Using your electric mixer, whip the egg whites until foamy and starting to hold soft peaks. Gradually sprinkle in a third of your granulated sugar while beating until the mixture turns glossy and brilliant white. Add the remaining sugar and keep whipping until you get stiff, shiny peaks that stand straight up when you lift the beaters.
- Stop the mixer and gently fold in your sifted icing sugar with a spatula. Don’t stir it in or you’ll deflate all the air you just whipped in.
- Transfer your meringue to a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip. Starting from the center of your traced circle, pipe a tight spiral outward until you fill the whole disc. With leftover meringue, pipe another disc or create 12-15 small meringue kisses around the edge of the baking sheet.
- Slide everything into your cool oven and bake for a full hour. The meringues should lift easily off the parchment when done and sound hollow when you tap the bottom. Let them cool completely on the tray.
- Place your cake ring on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Using slightly softened vanilla ice cream (let it sit out for 5-10 minutes), spread it into an even layer inside the ring, about 2cm thick. Pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes until firm.
- Remove and spread your raspberry sorbet on top of the vanilla layer, smoothing it out as evenly as you can. Back to the freezer for another 30 minutes.
- Whip your cream for about 5 minutes until it forms stiff peaks. Fold in your vanilla and liqueur if using, then transfer to a piping bag fitted with your star tip.
- Remove your ice cream mold from the freezer and carefully lift off the cake ring (run a warm knife around the edge if it’s stubborn). Place one meringue disc underneath as your base.
- Spread about a third of your whipped cream all over the top and sides of the ice cream cylinder. Stick the little meringue kisses around the sides, using dabs of cream as glue. Pipe the remaining cream in rosettes around the top edge.
- Scatter with chopped pistachios, fresh raspberries, and a gentle dusting of icing sugar. You can serve immediately or freeze for another 30 minutes if you want everything super firm.
