This dessert is easy to adapt to your own personal tastes and time limits. You can simply buy the pound cake and ice cream and assemble it. You can also use different flavors of ice cream instead of the customarily used chocolate and strawberry.

For the strawberry ice cream:
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
14 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
8 large egg yolks

For the pain de gênes:
3/4 cup almond paste (very firmly packed)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon room temperature unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier (optional)
1/3 cup pastry flour
Pinch of salt

For the Italian meringue:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
3 large egg whites

The technique used to make the ice cream bases is the same used to make crème anglaise. When you are making crême anglaise, the trick is to stop cooking before the eggs scramble. In the chocolate ice cream recipe, the unsweetened chocolate provides insulation for the eggs so they are not as likely to overcook. The strawberry ice cream base does not have that insulation and is more like a classic crème anglaise, which needs to be cooled over an ice bath. Have the ice bath ready before you begin.

Prepare the chocolate ice cream: Heat the milk and chopped chocolate together in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat until bubbles form around the edge of the pan. While the milk is heating, combine the sugar and egg yolks and whisk until thoroughly incorporated and thick. Temper (page 22) the egg mixture by pouring about half of the hot milk into it and whisk well. Now pour the tempered egg mixture into the remaining hot milk and chocolate. Cook over medium-high heat until slightly thickened, stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula. The mixture has finished cooking when it is thick enough to coat the back of the spatula, 3 to 5 minutes.

Use the following method to tell if it is finished: Quickly dip the spatula into the hot mixture and hold it horizontally in front of you. With the tip of your finger, wipe a clean line down the center of the spatula. If the mixture holds and does not fill in the line, it is ready to be removed from the heat. If the line fills with liquid, the mixture must be cooked a little longer. Repeat the test every 30 seconds until the mixture is ready. At no time should the mixture begin to boll; if you see bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan, remove it from the heat and whisk the mixture thoroughly to cool it down. Once the mixture has finished cooking, pour it into a clean bowl and set aside to cool. If you want to reduce the cooling time, you can cool the chocolate ice cream base in an ice bath.

Prepare the strawberry ice cream: While the chocolate ice cream base is cooling, prepare the strawberry ice cream base. The technique is the same as above: Heat the milk and chopped strawberries together in a non-reactive 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan. While the milk is heating, combine the sugar and egg yolks and whisk until thoroughly incorporated and thick. Temper the egg mixture as described above, then pour the tempered egg mixture into the hot milk and strawberries. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula, until thickened enough to coat the back of the spatula.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into the bowl placed in the ice bath. Stir the mixture occasionally so it cools evenly. When it is completely cool, remove the bowl from the ice bath and puree the mixture until smooth with an immersion blender, food processor, or blender. Spin the strawberry ice cream according to the directions for the type of ice cream machine you are using. The ice cream is ready when it is creamy and smooth, like soft-serve ice cream. Place the ice cream in an airtight container and store in the freezer until ready to use.

Spin the chocolate ice cream base in your ice cream machine and store in an airtight container in the freezer until ready to use.

Prepare the pain de gênes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Combine the almond paste and sugar in a medium-size mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until all, or at least most, of the sugar is incorporated, about 2 minutes. It is important to beat the mixture to soften the almond paste. Add the butter and continue to beat until the mixture gains volume and is very light in color, another 5 minutes. If you take the time to cream these three ingredients well, the pain de gênes will be light and airy. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating each addition fully. (If you were to add all of the eggs at once, the mixture would become lumpy.) Add the Grand Mariner, flour, and salt and mix just until combined. Do not over-mix, or the cake will be tough.

Spread the cake batter into a parchment paper-lined 10-inch cake pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula to make an even layer. The layer will only be 1/4 inch thick. Bake until the cake is light golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack, then un-mold and remove the parchment paper when the cake has completely cooled.

Use a 3-inch plain round cutter to cut seven circles from the cake layer and place them on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Remove the ice cream from the freezer. Use an ice cream scoop to place one or two balls of ice cream on each cake circle. You can distribute the flavors any way you please. Place in the freezer until very hard, about 45 minutes. If you stack two baking sheets on top of each other, it will retain the cold and help harden the ice cream scoops. (At this stage, the cakes can be stored in the freezer, well wrapped in plastic wrap, for two weeks.) Store any remaining ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer to be eaten at a later date.

Prepare the Italian meringue: Pour the sugar and water into a 1 -quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium-high heat. When bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan, insert a candy thermometer. When the sugar reaches 245°F (118°C), begin to whip the egg whites.

Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl and whip with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until foamy and slightly soft peaks.

When the sugar reaches 250°F (121°C), it has reached what is known as the soft ball stage (page 16). Pour it down the side of the bowl as you continue to whip the egg whites, being careful not to pour directly onto the beaters, or the hot sugar will splatter. Whip the meringue on medium speed until the outside of the bowl is warm but not hot, about 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C).

To assemble: Place the meringue in a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch star tip. Remove the ice cream-topped cakes from the freezer and decorate with the Italian meringue. Return the decorated cakes to the freezer for 15 minutes.

Place the frozen desserts on the baking sheet in the oven and bake until the meringue takes on color, 2 to 3 minutes. Watch the cakes closely. Once it starts, the meringue browns very quickly. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Variation: Use a French meringue to decorate the frozen cakes instead of an Italian meringue. Omit the water called for in the Italian meringue. Whip the egg whites with an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip to stiff but not dry peaks while adding the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.

While a French meringue is easier to prepare and takes less time, you may use an Italian meringue as a safety precaution. A profession