**World-Famous Baked Alaska: A Symphony of Flavors and Textures**
Baked Alaska, a legendary dessert that originated in the late 19th century, is a sensational spectacle that combines the richness of ice cream, the warmth of meringue, and the elegance of a torched exterior. This iconic dessert, also known as Bombe Alaska or Baked Alaska Pie, is more than just a culinary delight; it's a theatrical performance that captivates the senses and creates a lasting impression.
Our collection of recipes offers a diverse range of Baked Alaska variations, each with its unique charm and flavor profile. From the classic Baked Alaska, featuring vanilla ice cream enveloped in fluffy meringue and caramelized to perfection, to the adventurous Chocolate Raspberry Baked Alaska, which tantalizes the taste buds with a luscious raspberry ice cream center and a decadent chocolate meringue, there's a recipe to satisfy every craving.
For those seeking a tropical twist, the Mango Coconut Baked Alaska transports you to a tropical paradise with its refreshing mango ice cream center, toasted coconut meringue, and a drizzle of sweet mango coulis. The Pistachio Rosewater Baked Alaska, on the other hand, offers a delightful fusion of Middle Eastern flavors, with pistachio ice cream, a delicately flavored rosewater meringue, and a sprinkling of chopped pistachios.
Our collection also includes a vegan-friendly Baked Alaska recipe, ensuring that everyone can indulge in this extraordinary dessert. This plant-based version features a creamy coconut ice cream center, a light and airy aquafaba meringue, and a touch of torched coconut sugar for a caramelized crust.
Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, our recipes provide clear instructions and helpful tips to guide you through the process of creating your own Baked Alaska masterpiece. Prepare to impress your family and friends with this iconic dessert that is guaranteed to be the star of any celebration.
BAKED ALASKA
This old-fashioned dessert, which originated at New York City's Delmonico's restaurant to commemorate the purchase of Alaska in 1867, has become popular again, and why not? An ice-cream cake covered with an igloo of meringue emerging from an oven is a real showstopper.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.
- Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and the egg yolks in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; whisk, on medium speed, until pale yellow and thick, about 15 minutes. Add vanilla, and fold in melted chocolate just to combine.
- In a medium bowl, combine egg whites and pinch of salt in bowl of electric mixer; whip, on medium speed, until frothy. Add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar; beat until stiff. Fold egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
- Carefully pour batter out into prepared cake pan. Bake until cake is set and top is dull, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool on a wire rack.
- Spray a 5-cup-capacity metal bowl with cooking spray; line with plastic. Pack base of bowl with pistachio ice cream; layer cherry ice cream over pistachio, then finish with another layer of pistachio ice cream (or layer ice creams and sorbets as you desire). Pack firmly, cover surface with plastic wrap, and place in freezer. Freeze until ice cream is very hard, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours in advance.
- Place cake on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Remove ice cream from the freezer, and invert bowl over cake. Keep the ice cream covered with plastic wrap, and return ice-cream cake to the freezer.
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with an Ateco #5 star tip, with meringue; pipe onto ice cream in a decorative fashion, or spoon meringue over ice cream and swirl with a rubber spatula. If ice cream starts to soften, return cake to freezer for 15 minutes.
- Place in oven, and bake until meringue just starts to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven, and serve immediately.
TRADITIONAL BAKED ALASKA
Moist cake is topped with three layers of ice cream and fluffy meringue in this old-fashioned dessert.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.
- Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and the egg yolks in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; whisk, on medium speed, until pale yellow and thick, about 15 minutes. Add vanilla, and fold in melted chocolate just to combine.
- Combine egg white and a pinch of salt in bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; whip, on medium speed, until frothy. Add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar; beat until stiff. Fold egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
- Carefully pour batter into prepared cake pan. Bake until cake is set and top is dull, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
- Spray a 12-cup bowl with a 9-inch diameter with cooking spray; line with plastic wrap. Pack base of bowl and up the sides with chocolate ice cream; cover with plastic and press with your hands to make an even, smooth layer. Transfer to freezer and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
- Remove plastic wrap and form a layer of vanilla ice cream on top of the chocolate; cover with plastic wrap and press with your hands to make an even, smooth layer. Transfer to freezer and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
- Remove plastic wrap and form a layer of coffee ice cream on top of vanilla, leaving a small well in the center of the coffee layer; add sprinkles to well and cover with plastic wrap. Transfer to freezer and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
- Place cake on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Remove ice cream from freezer and remove plastic wrap; invert bowl over cake. Keep ice cream covered with plastic wrap, and return ice cream cake to freezer.
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees (if not using a kitchen torch). Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a large star tip (such as Ateco No. 827), with meringue; pipe onto ice cream in a decorative fashion, or spoon meringue over ice cream and swirl with a rubber spatula. If ice cream starts to soften, return cake to freezer for 15 minutes.
- Using a kitchen torch, heat meringue until it just starts to brown. Alternatively, place in oven and bake until meringue just starts to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer to a serving platter, and serve immediately.
BAKED ALASKA
This is an impressive dessert for any occasion. For Thanksgiving, I make the pumpkin version of this Baked Alaska recipe instead of pumpkin pie. -Linda Sanner, Portage, Wisconsin
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 55m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Spoon ice cream into a 1-1/2-qt. bowl lined with plastic wrap; freeze until firm. Line a greased 9-in. round baking pan with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. Place a clean kitchen towel over a wire rack; dust towel with confectioners' sugar. Set aside., In a large bowl, beat the eggs, 3 tablespoons water and vanilla. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; fold into egg mixture. , Gently spoon into prepared pan. Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately run a knife around edge of pan; invert onto prepared wire rack. Gently peel off waxed paper; cool completely., In a large heavy saucepan, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar and remaining sugar and water; beat on low speed with a portable mixer for 1 minute. Continue beating over low heat until mixture reaches 160°, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add rum extract; beat until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes. , Place cake on an ungreased foil-lined baking sheet; unmold ice cream and place over cake. Immediately spread meringue over ice cream and cake, sealing it to foil; sprinkle with almonds. Freeze until ready to serve, up to 24 hours. , Just before serving, heat with a creme brulee torch or broil on lowest oven rack position for 3-5 minutes or until meringue is light browned. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 225 calories, Fat 6g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 55mg cholesterol, Sodium 112mg sodium, Carbohydrate 38g carbohydrate (29g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 5g protein.
BAKED ALASKA
Steps:
- Line a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap.
- Place the softened ice cream into the loaf pan and spread evenly.
- Place the piece of cake on top of the ice cream, press down lightly, and place the pan in the freezer for 1 hour.
- After an hour, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 2-quart saucepan and place over high heat. Stir just until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Clip on a candy thermometer and bring the mixture to 240 degrees F.
- While the syrup is cooking, place the egg whites, salt, and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer and, using the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs on high speed until they reach medium peaks, 4 to 5 minutes.
- When the sugar syrup reaches 240 degrees F, remove from the heat and, with the stand mixer on low speed, slowly and carefully pour the syrup in a thin steady stream into the egg white mixture, being careful not to come in contact with the whisk. Once all the syrup has been added, increase the mixer speed to high and whisk until stiff peaks are formed and the mixture has cooled, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the loaf pan from the freezer, turn upside down onto a heatproof serving platter, and remove the plastic wrap. Completely cover the ice cream cake combo with a 1-inch layer of meringue all around, sealing the meringue to the pan around the bottom edge.
- Use a propane torch to brown the meringue all over. Serve immediately. May be frozen once the meringue has browned.
BAKED ALASKA
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories dessert
Time 6h29m
Yield 12 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Make the ice cream cake: Brush a 3-quart metal bowl with vegetable oil; line with plastic wrap. Fill the bowl with scoops of the sorbet, vanilla ice cream and half of the chocolate ice cream, alternating small and large scoops to create a mosaic of colors and shapes. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the ice cream; press down to close the gaps between scoops and even out the surface. Remove the plastic wrap, sprinkle the ice cream with the wafer crumbs and re-cover with the plastic wrap, pressing gently. Freeze until set, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the wrap and spread the remaining chocolate ice cream in an even layer on top of the crumbs. Cut the pound cake into 1/2-inch-thick slices; completely cover the ice cream with the slices, trimming as needed (you'll use about two-thirds of the cake). Cover with fresh plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
- Make the meringue: Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until foamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar on high speed until the whites are glossy and hold stiff peaks.
- Remove the top layer of plastic wrap, then invert the cake onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. (If necessary, let the cake stand overturned until it slips out.) Remove the rest of the plastic wrap and cover the ice cream completely with the meringue, making the dome-shaped top slightly thicker than the sides. Form swirly peaks in the meringue using the back of a spoon. Freeze for at least 3 more hours.
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Bake the cake until the meringue peaks are golden, about 4 minutes, or brown the meringue with a blowtorch. Let the cake soften at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Freeze any leftovers.
MOCHA BAKED ALASKAS
Make these baked Alaskas ahead of time-you can torch the completed desserts and freeze them up to 24 hours before serving. -Kerry Dingwall, Ponte Vedra, Florida
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 35m
Yield 6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until completely cooled, about 1 hour., Meanwhile, slice pound cake horizontally into three layers. Cut cake into six 3-in. circles; brush tops with coffee (save remaining cake for another use)., Line six jumbo muffin cups with foil liners. Spoon ice cream into each. Top with ganache, spreading evenly. Place cake, coffee side down, over ganache, pressing gently. Cover and freeze until firm, about 3 hours., In a large heavy saucepan, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar. With a hand mixer, beat on low speed for 1 minute. Continue beating over low heat until egg white mixture reaches 160°, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add vanilla and salt; beat until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved., Invert layered cakes onto an ungreased foil-lined baking sheet; remove foil liners. Immediately spread meringue over cakes, sealing to cover completely., Heat with a kitchen torch or broil 8 in. from the heat for 3-4 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts :
Tips:
- Mise en Place: Before you start baking, make sure you have all the ingredients and equipment you need. This will help you stay organized and avoid any mishaps.
- Use Fresh Ingredients: The quality of your ingredients will greatly affect the taste of your Baked Alaska. Use fresh, ripe berries and high-quality ice cream.
- Chill the Ice Cream: The ice cream should be very cold before you assemble the Baked Alaska. This will help it hold its shape and prevent it from melting too quickly.
- Freeze the Baked Alaska Thoroughly: The Baked Alaska needs to be completely frozen before you serve it. This will help it hold its shape and prevent the ice cream from melting.
- Use a Hot Meringue: The meringue should be hot when you spread it over the Baked Alaska. This will help it seal in the ice cream and prevent it from melting.
- Brown the Meringue Quickly: Use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue quickly and evenly. This will give the Baked Alaska a beautiful golden-brown color.
Conclusion:
Baked Alaska is a classic dessert that is sure to impress your guests. With its combination of creamy ice cream, fluffy meringue, and sweet berries, it's a delicious and visually stunning treat. By following the tips in this article, you can make a perfect Baked Alaska at home.
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