Baked Alaska Tree Recipes

TRADITIONAL BAKED ALASKA

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

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.

BAKED-ALASKA TREE

Steps:

• Open a standard manila file folder. Roll it into a cone with an 8-inch diameter; tape to seal. Cut off excess to make a flat base with a 7 1/2-inch diameter. Roll a similar-size piece of parchment; fit inside cone. Place cone in a pot, tip down (to hold it upright). Pulse wafers in a food processor with 1/3 cup sugar; add butter and salt and pulse to moisten crumbs.
• Spread chocolate ice cream into cone in a 1-inch-thick layer (leaving center hollow). Freeze 15 minutes. Fill with peppermint ice cream. Pat 1 1/2 cups crumbs evenly on top. Freeze upright, point-down in pot, at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. Invert on a serving plate; remove mold and parchment. Let stand until slightly softened, 5 minutes. Pat remaining crumbs over outside of cone. Return to freezer.
• Whisk egg whites and remaining 1 cup sugar in the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer and place over a pot of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and egg whites are warm to the touch, about 3 1/2 minutes. Place bowl in stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment and whip, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high, until egg whites are foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue to whip until stiff, glossy peaks form. Fold in cornstarch and vanilla. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip (such as Ateco #806)
• Starting at bottom of tree, and holding tip perpendicular to it, pipe upward, dragging meringue into teardrop shapes for a snowy effect. Lightly brown meringue with a kitchen torch. To serve, cut a piece from tip to base, then slice crosswise. (Cake can be made up to 3 days ahead; freeze it whole before piping on meringue.)

BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• For the ice cream center: Spray a 4 1/2- to 5-quart metal bowl with nonstick spray and line with plastic wrap. Create a first layer using the softened cherry chocolate chip ice cream, then freeze for 30 minutes.
• Add the softened mint chocolate chip ice cream for the second layer and freeze again for 30 minutes.
• Add the softened chocolate chocolate chip ice cream for the third layer, then top with a layer of angel food cake. Cover in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
• For the meringue: Using a stand or electric hand-held mixer, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and whisk again. With the machine running, add the sugar a little at a time and whisk until the meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks.
• Remove the ice cream bomb from the freezer and take off the plastic wrap on top. Turn out the frozen ice cream and cake onto a plate so that the cake layer is in contact with the plate and you have a dome.
• Remove the plastic wrap from the dome and cover with the meringue, making peaks. Brown with a kitchen blowtorch and serve.

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:

• Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap. Spread 1 pint softened vanilla ice cream in the pan; freeze until hard, 1 hour. Spread with 1 pint softened orange sherbet; freeze 1 more hour. Top with a layer of pound cake slices; freeze at least 1 more hour. Beat 4 egg whites and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice with a mixer until frothy, then beat in 1/3 cup sugar until stiff. Invert the ice cream loaf onto a baking sheet, remove the plastic wrap and cover completely with the meringue. Bake at 500 degrees F until browned in spots, 3 minutes.

EASY BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray. Make brownie batter as directed on box for cakelike brownies. Spread in pan.
• Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool 1 hour.
• Evenly spread softened strawberry ice cream on top of cooled brownie. Place in freezer while making meringue.
• In medium glass or metal bowl, stir egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and vanilla with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally with whisk, 16 to 20 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F. Pour into large bowl; beat with electric mixer on high speed 8 to 10 minutes or until stiff glossy peaks form. Use small icing spatula to swirl meringue over top of ice cream layer. Freeze at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Heat oven to 500°F. Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until meringue peaks start to turn golden brown. Cut into 5 rows by 3 rows. Store covered in freezer.

BAKED ALASKA SAINT PIERRE

Steps:

• Make filling:
• Beat marmalade into vanilla ice cream in a bowl with a wooden spoon until combined, then spread in an 8-inch cake pan. Spread sorbet in other 8-inch cake pan. Cover pans with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours.
• Make génoise:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch cake pan and line bottom with a round of parchment or wax paper, then butter paper.
• Sift flour and salt into a bowl.
• Heat eggs and sugar in a large metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, gently whisking constantly, until lukewarm and sugar is dissolved.
• Remove bowl from pot and add zest and liqueur, then beat with an electric mixer at high speed until very thick, pale, and tripled in volume (about 7 minutes in a stand mixer or 10 minutes with a handheld). If using a tall narrow bowl, transfer to a large wide bowl (to facilitate folding). Resift flour and salt over eggs in 2 batches, folding gently but thoroughly after each batch. Fold butter into about 1 cup batter in a small bowl until just combined, then fold butter mixture into remaining batter gently but thoroughly until just combined. Spread in buttered pan, smoothing top.
• Bake cake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then run a thin knife between cake and side of pan and invert rack over cake. Flip cake onto rack and cool completely. Peel off paper.
• Cut cake horizontally in half with a long serrated knife to form 2 layers, then tightly wrap each layer in plastic wrap and freeze 30 minutes.
• Put 1 cake layer on plate or inverted cake pan (at least 10 inches, but small enough to fit in your freezer). Dip pan containing vanilla ice cream mixture in a large bowl of hot water briefly to loosen, 5 to 7 seconds (have a kitchen towel ready to wipe off water), and unmold ice cream onto cake. Top vanilla ice cream layer with second cake layer, cut side up. Unmold sorbet layer onto cake in same manner and freeze ice cream cake until firm, about 1 hour.
• Make meringue:
• Beat egg whites and a pinch of salt in a large bowl with cleaned beaters at moderately high speed until foamy, then add cream of tartar and continue to beat until whites hold soft peaks. Add sugar a little at a time, beating, and continue beating until whites just hold stiff, glossy peaks. Beat in vanilla.
• Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.
• Transfer frozen cake (still on plate or inverted cake pan) to a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper and spread meringue over cake, making it at least 1 inch thick and mounding it on top. Make an indentation with a tablespoon in center of meringue deep enough to fit eggshell. Bake cake until edges are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Carefully transfer cake to a serving plate using 2 metal spatulas and place eggshell in indentation. Pour liqueur into eggshell and carefully ignite with a kitchen match. Spoon flaming liqueur evenly over meringue (flaming liqueur will brown meringue a little more). Remove eggshell and serve baked Alaska immediately.

BIRTHDAY BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Make the cake: Line a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap or parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
• Put the sliced strawberries, sugar, and lime or lemon juice in a small bowl, stir and set aside for 2 hours while you put together the rest of the cake.
• Each type of ice cream has to be softened before you can use it, so, as you need it, cut it into hunks, put the pieces in a large bowl, and bash and beat them with a sturdy flexible spatula or wooden spoon until spreadable. If you're using homemade ice cream, you can take it straight from the ice cream maker.
• Soften the blueberry ice cream, then spread it evenly over the bottom of the loaf pan. Smooth the top. Cover, and freeze for at least 1 hour.
• Soften the vanilla ice cream, stir in the coconut, then smooth it over the blueberry ice cream. Level the top. Cover, and freeze for at least 1 hour.
• Drain the strawberries. Soften the strawberry ice cream, and stir the berries into it. Spread the ice cream over the vanilla layer, and smooth the top.
• Gently press ladyfingers into the soft ice cream to make a base layer; don't worry if you have some bare spots. Cover, and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. (You can do this up to 1 week in advance of serving, if you'd like.)
• At least 1 hour (or up to 8 hours) before serving, make the meringue: Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a large saucepan that can hold the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl that you can use with a hand mixer. Whisk the egg whites and sugar together in the bowl, place the bowl over the water - making sure it's not touching - and whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved and smooth. The mixture should be 160 degrees. Don't rush this; it needs about 10 minutes. If necessary, attach the bowl to the mixer, and fit with the whisk. Beat the meringue on medium-high speed for about 6 minutes, or until it's fluffy, glossy and holds stiff peaks.
• Unmold the ice cream cake onto a serving platter, one that is large enough to catch the kirsch, if you're using it, and peel away the plastic or paper. Using a spatula, cover the sides with a thick layer of meringue - creating swirls, if you'd like - and cover the top with a thinner one.
• Now you have a choice: You can pipe meringue spikes over the top, layer more meringue on top, and swirl or spike it with the back of a spoon, or make spikes by hand by pulling it into points with your fingers. Continue until you've got a pattern you like. Freeze the cake for at least 1 hour.
• To finish the cake, use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue on the top of the cake or use flaming kirsch: Put the kirsch in a small pan over low heat for about 2 minutes. Carefully light the kirsch with a long match. Slowly drizzle the flaming alcohol evenly over the entire cake, and watch it toast the meringue. It will burn off on its own.
• Cut into thick slices, and serve immediately. You can keep the cake covered and frozen for a day, but it's at its best the day it is made.

BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a 20cm cake tin. Beat together the butter and sugar using a hand whisk or freestanding mixer, for 5 mins until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and eggs, then fold through the flour, lemon zest and milk. Spoon the mixture into the tin, smooth over and bake for 18-20 mins until golden and firm to the touch. Leave to cool completely before starting the meringue.
• Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks in a clean bowl, then add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time while whisking continuously, until you have a thick, glossy mixture that holds its shape when the beaters are lifted away from the bowl. Quickly beat in the vinegar.
• Remove the ice cream from the freezer 10 mins before you assemble to soften slightly. Place the sponge on a serving plate. Spread the jam over the top of the sponge in an even layer. Scoop balls of the ice cream into a mound in the middle of the sponge, leaving a 1-2cm gap of sponge around the edge. Gently smooth the side and top of the ice cream with a palette knife. Spoon and swirl the meringue around the outside of the ice cream and cake base with a large spoon. Use a blow torch to evenly brown the outside of the meringue, if you have one. Cut into wedges to serve.