Heavenly Baked Alaska Recipes

HEAVENLY BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoons at a time, and continue beating until stiff and glossy.
• Place cake slices on ungreased baking sheet,. Top each with ice cream and quickly cover with meringue, being sure to seal edges completely. Swirl meringue into peaks. Keep in freezer until ready to bake. Freeze for at least 1 hour. (To store for longer periods, up to 2 weeks, place unbaked Alaska in cake box and over wrap with plastic).
• Preheat oven to 475°F Bake 2-4 minutes or until meringue is delicately browned. Serve at once.
• Choose ice cream that contrasts in color and flavor with cake, i.e. vanilla ice cream on brownies; peppermint on chocolate cake; fruit sherbet on jelly roll.

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.

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!

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.

HOLIDAY BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Line a 3-quart bowl with plastic wrap. Fill base of bowl with peppermint ice cream; layer with mint chocolate chip ice cream, then finish with a layer of vanilla ice cream. Cover surface with plastic wrap and freeze until ice cream is very hard, at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours in advance.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place butter and chocolate in a medium glass bowl over a saucepan of hot water (or a double boiler) and stir the butter and chocolate until melted. This can also be done in a microwave by placing butter and chocolate in microwave-safe medium glass bowl and microwaving on High for 1 to 2 minutes or until melted, stirring once. Set aside to cool
• In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until well combined. In another medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt until combined. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the eggs and whisk to combine. Add the flour to the chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Pour into cake pan. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• When the brownie is completely cool, about 1 hour. Turn brownie out onto a large flat, ovenproof plate. Unmold the ice cream dome on top of the brownie layer. Place back in the freezer.
• With electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar for 2 minutes on medium-high speed. Increase the speed to high and add the sugar in a slow stream until stiff, glossy peaks form.
• Remove ice cream dome from freezer. Remove plastic wrap. Cover the ice cream dome with the meringue, covering it completely, using the back of spoon to make swirly peaks. Freeze for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.
• Heat the oven to 500°F. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes or until the peaks start to turn a golden brown color. For easier slicing, let cake stand for 30 minutes. Slice and serve.

INDIVIDUAL BAKED ALASKAS

Steps:

• For sauce: Whisk yolks and sugar in large bowl to blend; bring milk just to simmer in medium saucepan; gradually whisk hot milk into egg mixture; return mixture to same saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until sauce thickens and coats back of spoon, about 7 minutes (do not boil); pour into bowl; stir in vanilla; place plastic wrap directly onto surface of custard and cool; cover and refrigerate until cold.
• For Baked Alaskas: Preheat oven to 350°F; butter and flour 10 ½ x 15 ½ x 1-inch jelly roll pan; sift first 5 ingredients into large bowl; repeat sifting; combine water and espresso powder in large bowl and stir to dissolve; add buttermilk, oil and eggs and whisk to combine; add to dry ingredients and whisk until blended; pour batter into prepared pan; bake until tester inserted into middle of cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes; transfer to rack and cool completely (Sauce and cake can be prepared 1 day ahead; cover cake and refrigerate).
• Using 4-inch-diameter round as guide, cut out 1 cake round; slide metal spatual under cake round and transfer to baking sheet; repeat, forming 5 more cake rounds; reserve remaining cake for another use; place rounded scoop of ice cream on top of each cake round; freeze, uncovered, for up to 8 hours.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form; gradually add 1 ½ cups sugar and beat mixture until stiff and glossy.
• Spoon meringue into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip; pipe meringue in star shapes on top of ice cream, covering ice cream completely, but leaving cake visible underneath (ice cream should be completely encased in meringue, with a seal where ice cream meets cake); freeze until ready to bake (Can be prepared 1 day ahead).
• Preheat oven to 500°F; bake desserts until meringue is light brown, about 2 minutes; using spatula, transfer each Baked Alaska to individual plates; spoon sauce onto plates and serve immediately.

HEAVENLY HALIBUT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven broiler. Grease a baking dish.
• In a bowl, mix the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, lemon juice, green onions, salt, and hot pepper sauce.
• Arrange the halibut fillets in the prepared baking dish.
• Broil halibut fillets 8 minutes in the prepared oven, or until easily flaked with a fork. Spread with the Parmesan cheese mixture, and continue broiling 2 minutes, or until topping is bubbly and lightly browned.