Black Hole Baked Alaska Recipes

INDIVIDUAL BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• To make the chocolate sauce: chop the chocolate to a rough consistency.
• Heat the cream just to a scald, then pour over the chocolate.
• Do not stir.
• Let it sit for about 5 minutes, then stir with a whisk until smooth.
• Makes about 1 cup.
• To make the raspberry sauce: Puree the raspberries in a blender with the remaining ingredients.
• Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds.
• Refrigerate until needed.
• Makes about 1 cup.
• To assemble the ice-cream bases: line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Using a 3" round cookie cutter (or a glass) cut 6 circles out of the cake, and place them on the parchment.
• Place a scoop of ice cream in the center of each piece of cake, making sure you leave a small margin of cake visible all the way around.
• Place in the freezer until the meringue is ready.
• To prepare the meringue: combine the sugar, corn syrup and water in a heavy, 1-quart saucepan over medium heat.
• Bring to a boil, then cook until the syrup reaches 230 degrees F.
• (thread stage) on a candy thermometer.
• Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the bowl of your mixer, and fit the whip attachment to your mixer.
• When the syrup reaches the thread stage, start whipping your egg whites on high speed.
• When the syrup reaches 245-250 degrees F.
• (firm-ball stage), lower the speed of the mixer to low, and very, very, VERY slowly start pouring the syrup in, in a slow, steady, thin stream until it is all used up.
• Immediately return the mixer to high speed and continue whipping until the meringue reaches a very stiff peaked consistency.
• Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fit with a plain tip.
• Remove the ice cream bases from the freezer.
• Now you are going to create a meringue"beehive" around each scoop of ice cream.
• I find it easier to do this by removing one ice-cream scoop at a time to a cake turntable or a flat-work surface that I can spin around, like a small plate, pipe the meringue, then using a thin spatula, returning it carefully to the parchment.
• To pipe the meringue you need to start at the bottom edge of the cake, pipe a ring of meringue around the icecream so that it completely covers the cake edge.
• Then continue to pipe a line of meringue all around the scoop of ice cream, making sure you completely cover the ice cream, and that each line of meringue rests on top of the previous one.
• Finish with a small circle at the top.
• Repeat with remaining ice cream bases.
• Return them to the freezer until ready to serve.
• Just before service, decorate your plate: choose an oversize plate, like a dinner plate.
• Then using the sauces, paint or spoon or swirl them on to your hearts content.
• Any design you like.
• I like to just use squiggles, but anything goes at this point.
• Now- if you don't have a torch, you will need to turn your oven to broil.
• If you have a torch, get it ready.
• Remove the meringues from the freezer, and dust the top of each one with the confectioners sugar in a fine mesh strainer.
• If you are using a broiler, place the baking sheet under the broiler but leave the door open and watch.
• You will only need about 30-45 seconds, just enough time for the meringue to turn golden brown.
• Remove from the oven, place one in the center of each plate, and serve.
• If you are using a torch, turn your torch to a med-low setting, and carefully, gently use the torch to brown the outside of the meringues.
• Place one meringue on each plate, and serve.
• Notes: You can use any type of cake you want here- this recipe is more a method than anything.
• I've used chocolate chiffon as a base, I've used spongecake, poundcake, leftover slices of cupcakes!
• Anything, anyflavor, but it needs to be at least 1/4" thick.
• You can also use any flavor ice-cream- experiment, go wild.
• Sorbet is great this way- I've done mango sorbet, and lime sorbet- they taste terrific.
• Experiment, have fun, and don't be intimidated by this dessert.
• It's fun, and it's easy, and your friends and relatives will"oooohhhh!
• "and"ahhhhh!
• "you to death!

GRASSHOPPER BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and chocolate; stir until smooth. Stir in sugar. Beat in vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into chocolate mixture. , Transfer to a greased 8-in. round baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs (do not overbake). Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ice cream, Andes candies, liqueurs and, if desired, food coloring. Transfer to an 8-in. round bowl (1-1/2 qts.) lined with plastic wrap; freeze until set. , 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 mixture reaches 160°, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; beat until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved., Place brownie on an ungreased foil-lined baking sheet; top with inverted ice cream mold. Remove plastic wrap. Immediately spread meringue over ice cream, sealing to edges of brownie. Freeze until ready to serve, up to 24 hours., Bake at 400° for 2-5 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Transfer to a serving plate; serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350F degrees degrees.
• Mix flour, brown sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt with fork in ungreased square pan.
• 8 x 8 x 2 inches.
• Mix in remaining ingredients except chocolate chips.
• Sprinkle chocolate chips over batter.
• Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
• Cake can be mixed in bowl if desired.
• Cut ice cream lengthwise into halves.
• Place one half on plate.
• Freeze.
• Return remaining ice cream to freezer for another use.
• Prepare cake as directed except.
• Mix in bowl and grease and flour pan.
• Bake as directed.
• Cool.
• Cover cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
• Place cake on cookie sheet.
• Place ice cream on cake 1 inch from one side.
• Trim the other side of cake around ice cream, leaving a 1 inch edge.
• Freeze cake and ice cream.
• Heat oven to 500 degrees.
• Beat egg white and cream of tartar until foamy.
• Beat in brown sugar, 1 tablespoons at a time.
• Continue beating until stiff and glossy.
• Working quickly, completely cover cake and ice cream with meringue, sealing it to foil on cookie sheet.
• Bake on lowest oven rack until meringue is light brown, 3-5 minutes.
• Trim foil to edge of meringue, transfer cake to serving plate.
• Cut into 6 slices.
• Cut each slice into halves.
• Serve immediately.

BLACKOUT BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray; line with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine the boiling water and espresso. Whisk in 1/4 cup cold water, then the oil, whole egg and vanilla.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk the egg mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack, then invert onto a baking sheet. Discard the parchment paper. Line the pan with another piece of parchment paper.
• Using a 2 1/2-inch cutter, cut the cake into 8 rounds and transfer to the prepared baking pan; freeze for 30 minutes. Using a 2-inch-wide ice cream scoop, top each cake with a scoop of sorbet; cover the pan with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 1 cup granulated sugar with 1/4 cup water and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Boil until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at medium speed until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, drizzle in the sugar syrup, then beat on high speed until the egg whites are stiff and glossy, about 8 minutes. Pipe or spread the meringue over each cake to cover. Freeze for up to 1 hour.
• Preheat the broiler. Broil the meringue-covered cakes until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

BAKED ALASKA

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.

BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round mixing bowl or deep 8-inch square container with foil. Spread ice cream in container, packing firmly. Cover and freeze 8 hours or until firm.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8x8 inch pan.
• Prepare cake mix with egg and almond extract. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven according to package instructions, until center of cake springs back when lightly touched.
• Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt and sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment or heavy brown paper. Place cake in center. Turn molded ice cream out onto cake. Quickly and prettily spread meringue over cake and ice cream, all the way to paper to seal. Return to freezer 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Bake the Alaska on the lowest shelf, 8 to 10 minutes, or until meringue is lightly browned. Serve at once.

BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Slice the cake into half-inch layers; cut the cake layers in such a way that you can form a large oval 1/2 - inch thick and 1- inch larger all around than your ice cream mold. Arrange the oval on the platter, cover airtight with plastic wrap, and set aside. Be sure oven is preheated to 450 degrees in time for step 2. Beating the meringue: Start beating the egg whites at moderate speed until they are foaming, beat in the salt and cream of tartar, then gradually increase speed to fast until egg whites form soft peaks. Gradually beat in the sugar, sprinkling in 1/4 cup at a time, beating half a minute between additions. After all has gone in, add vanilla, and continue beating for several minutes at high speed until eggs form stiff, shiny peaks. Set aside ice-cream mold in a basin of tepid water, run a knife around edge, and unmold the sherbet or ice cream upon the cake in the platter. Immediately spread the meringue over it with a spatula, starting at bottom of cake and bringing it up to a peak at the top of the dessert. Meringue should be about 1- inch thick over the sherbet or ice cream, in order to insulate it from the heat of the oven. Sieve confectioner's sugar all over surface of meringue, making a layer about 1/16 -- inch thick. Browning: Set in upper-middle level of preheated 450 degree oven for 3 to 4 minutes, to brown meringue lightly. Just before serving, place a sparkler on top of the baked Alaska and light.

BLACK HOLE BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• For the Black-Hole Chocolate Disc:.
• In addition to the chocolate melts, you will need an airbrushing machine and edible colors, as well as parchment paper.
• Melt chocolate in two pots until completely liquid. Place a circle of parchment on a turn table and pour the darker shade first. Pour the remaining color on top in design of your choosing and use an offset, narrow spatula to create a galaxy design by making spiraled swiping motions from the inside out. Once done, allow to set in a cool room for one hour. Once the chocolate is set, remove from parchment sheet and rest on something with a hole in the center and using a hot blade, cut out a hole in the center. Smooth edges with your finger.
• Mix various galactic colors in an airbrush machine and paint your black hole. I made mine darkest on the outer edges and lightest near the center.
• For the Meringue:.
• In a stand mixer, beat egg whites, salt and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Drizzle in sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Cut off the top of the fudge bundt cake and scoop a layer of your chosen ice cream on top of the ring making sure to leave the hole in the middle. Coat with meringue and torch. Once done chill in freezer until ready to serve. just before serving place the chocolate black hole topper onto the frozen dessert. Serve.