Classic Vacherin Glacé

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Ice cream frozen desserts Vanilla: Extract Medium

Crisp, snow-white meringue rings are stacked around softened vanilla ice cream, frozen firm, and finished with piped sweet Chantilly cream. It slices into creamy layers with a meringue crunch. Makes 1 7-inch vacherin in about 7 hr 45 min.

Prep 45 min

Cook 120 min

Cooling 5 hr

Total 7 hr 45 min

Yield 1 7-inch vacherin

Diet Gluten free

Ingredients

Adjust yield

7-inch vacherin

4 oz (120 g)egg whites, about 4, room temperature
⅔ cup (120 g)granulated sugar
1 cup (120 g)powdered sugar, sifted, for the meringue
¼ tsp (1 g)cream of tartar
4 ¼ cups (1000 ml)vanilla ice cream, softened slightly
1 ¼ cups (300 ml)heavy cream, cold
¼ cup (30 g)powdered sugar, for the chantilly
1 tsp (5 ml)vanilla extract

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Instructions

Heat the oven to 200 F (95 C). Line two baking sheets with parchment and trace one 7-inch (18 cm) circle and two 7-inch rings with a 5-inch (13 cm) hole in the center.
Beat the whites with the cream of tartar to soft peaks, then add the granulated sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Fold in the sifted powdered sugar.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Fill in the solid disc with spiral piping and pipe two rings on the second sheet, adding a second layer of piping on top of the rings to build height.
Bake for 2 hours, until crisp and dry and lifting easily from the paper. Turn off the oven and cool inside.
Place the solid disc on a flat plate. Set one ring on it, then the second ring on top, using a dab of meringue to glue them.
Spoon the softened ice cream into the center, pressing down to fill the tower and smoothing the top level. Freeze at least 4 hours.
Whip the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to firm peaks. Pipe rosettes over the top and freeze 1 hour more.
Let stand 5 minutes at room temperature, then cut with a hot, dry knife.

Tips

Add the sugar gradually or the meringue will weep.
Dry, cool days give the crispest meringue; keep the rings stored airtight until assembly.
Swap half the ice cream for raspberry sorbet for the classic two-flavor version.
Meringue is baked dry; keep ice cream frozen until use and serve without letting it melt and refreeze.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make classic vacherin glacé?

Plan on 45 minutes of prep and 2 hours of cooking, plus 5 hours to chill. The recipe makes 1 7-inch vacherin.

How should I store classic vacherin glacé?

Freeze, covered, up to 1 week; the meringue slowly softens as it sits against the ice cream.

Can I make classic vacherin glacé ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 4.25 cups vanilla ice cream, softened slightly (1000 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

The iced vacherin is a French dessert of baked meringue enclosing vanilla ice cream and sorbet and decorated with Chantilly cream, associated with Lyon in the 19th century. Serve it with raspberry sauce or sparkling wine.