Spumoni Baked Alaska Recipes

VALERIE'S SPUMONI

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 9-by-5-inch aluminum loaf pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with plastic wrap on all sides, leaving a 2-inch overhang; the cooking spray will help the plastic stick directly to the sides of the pan.
• In a food processor, pulse the chocolate wafers until very fine, like sand. Add the chocolate sauce and pulse a few more times until the mixture comes together. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and firmly press into the bottom of the pan to create a crust. Freeze for 30 minutes to set.
• Meanwhile, remove the chocolate-chocolate chip gelato from the freezer to soften. After 30 minutes, remove the loaf pan from the freezer and spread the chocolate gelato over the crust; use a small offset or rubber spatula to spread the gelato into a flat, even layer. Return the loaf pan to the freezer for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, let the vanilla bean gelato soften at room temperature.
• When the vanilla gelato has softened, transfer it to a bowl and stir in the sliced Amarena cherries, the Amarena syrup and the red food coloring if using. Mix until the cherries are evenly dispersed and the food coloring is completely incorporated. Remove the loaf pan from the freezer and evenly spread the cherry gelato over the chocolate gelato. Place back in the freezer for at least 1 hour more; it takes longer for the cherry layer to set.
• Thirty minutes before the cherry layer is set, remove the pistachio gelato from the freezer to soften. When softened, spread in an even layer over the cherry gelato; the pistachio layer should come up nearly to the top of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
• When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap from the top of the pan and invert the spumoni onto a cutting board. Gently lift the loaf pan away and remove the remaining plastic wrap. Slice the spumoni into 3/4-inch slices, using a chef's knife dipped in warm water; dip the knife in the warm water between each slice. Serve immediately.

SPUMONI SLICES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add flour and mix well. Divide dough in three portions. Stir chocolate into one portion. Add pecans and green food coloring to the second portion. Add cherries, almond extract and red food coloring to the third. , Roll each portion between two pieces of waxed paper into an 8x6-in. rectangle. Remove waxed paper. Place chocolate rectangle on a piece of plastic wrap. Top with the green and pink rectangles; press together lightly. Wrap with plastic and chill overnight., Cut chilled dough in half lengthwise. Return one rectangle to the refrigerator. Cut remaining rectangle into 1/8-in. slices. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. , Bake at 375° for 5-7 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. Repeat with remaining dough.

BAKED ALASKA

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.

MOCHA BAKED ALASKAS

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.

SPUMONI TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of three greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper. Prepare cake mix batter according to package directions, adding almond extract before mixing batter. Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool as package directs., In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Place 1-1/2 cups whipped cream in each of 3 bowls. In a another bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix 2 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold pudding into 1 bowl of whipped cream. In second bowl of whipped cream, beat in 3 tablespoon cream cheese, cocoa and remaining confectioners' sugar until combined. In third bowl, beat in maraschino cherries, almond extract and remaining cream cheese., Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with pistachio filling. Top with another cake layer; spread with maraschino filling. Top with remaining cake layer; spread with chocolate filling. Refrigerate until serving.

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.