Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 8-inch round pan. In medium bowl, stir together cake mix and sugar; add 1/3 cup water, melted chocolate and egg, beating until blended. Add oil and remaining 1/4 cup water; beat until smoother and well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack. Cool completely. Cover; freeze until firm.
Meanwhile, line 2-1/2 quart dome-shaped bowl with foil. Soften ice cream and pack evenly into prepared bowl. Cover; freeze until firm.
MERINGUE: In large bowl, stir together 1/2 cup cold water, 1 tablespoon meringue powder and 1/4 cup sugar. Beat 5 minutes until blended; gradually add additional 1/4 cup sugar, beating until meringue is stiff and dry. Use immediately.
Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Cover wooden board or cookie sheet with foil. Center frozen cake layer on foil; invert and unmold ice cream onto top. Peel off foil from ice cream. Spread meringue evenly over entire surface, covering holes and sealing edges down to foil. Bake 3 to 5 minutes or just until lightly browned. Remove from oven; serve immediately. Or, cover with cake saver lid (not foil or plastic wrap) and immediately return to freezer.
NOTE ABOUT MERINGUE: if you work this hard on the recipe, try to serve it right away. Be very wary about refreezing or refrigerating meringue. It has a tendency to "weep" or bead the moisture out of the meringue when it sits in the cold (at least that has been my experience).
Ingredients:
