Ina Gartens Raspberry Baked Alaska Recipes

RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the crust, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
• To make the filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.
• Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees F and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving.
• To make the topping, melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. In a bowl, toss the raspberries and the warm jelly gently until well mixed. Arrange the berries on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Note: Measure your springform pan. The bottom of mine measures 9 inches, but it says 9 1/2. I put the springform pan on a sheet pan before putting it in the oven to catch any leaks.

RASPBERRY BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Slice the cake into six 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut six (2 1/2-inch) circles--one from each slice--with an unfluted round cookie cutter, discarding the scraps. (You can also use a small knife.) Place the cake rounds 2 inches apart on a flat dish that will fit in your freezer.
• Soften the sorbet and ice cream just enough to be able to scoop them with a standard 2 1/4-inch-diameter ice cream scoop (15 to 30 seconds in the microwave works). Fill half the scoop with raspberry sorbet and the rest of the scoop with vanilla ice cream and place an ice cream ball, flat side down, in the middle of each cake round. Freeze for at least 30 minutes, until the ice cream is very hard.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• To make the Swiss meringue, place the egg whites and sugar in a heat-proof glass bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk the mixture almost constantly, until it reaches 120 degrees F on a candy thermometer and the sugar has dissolved. Pour the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt and beat on medium speed for one minute, then on high speed for 5 minutes, until the egg whites form stiff, glossy peaks.
• Transfer the cake rounds and ice cream to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Working quickly, spread the meringue with a spoon or small spatula, making lots of peaks all over with the back of the spoon. (You can also use a pastry bag fitted with a large fluted tip and pipe the meringue thickly around each ball of ice cream and cake.) Be sure all of the ice cream is covered with meringue. Bake for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, until the edges of the meringues are browned, turning the pan once to brown evenly. Transfer to dessert plates, drizzle Fresh Raspberry Sauce around each baked Alaska, and serve immediately.
• Place the raspberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and the framboise into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth. Pour into a container and chill. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to one week.

INA GARTEN'S RASPBERRY BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Bring raspberries, sugar, and ¼ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 4 minutes. Transfer raspberry mixture to a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add jam and liqueur and process until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and chill.
• Do Ahead: Sauce can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.
• Slice cake into six ½"-thick slices. Cut out six 2½"-diameter circles-one from each slice-with an unfluted round cookie cutter; discard scraps. (You can also use a small knife.) Place rounds 2" apart on a flat dish that will fit in your freezer.
• Soften sorbet and ice cream just enough to be able to scoop them with a standard 2¼"-diameter ice cream scoop (15-30 seconds in the microwave works). Fill half the scoop with sorbet and the rest of the scoop with ice cream. Arrange scoop of sorbet/ice cream flat side down in the center of each round. Freeze until ice cream is very hard, at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500°. Heat egg whites and sugar in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, whisking constantly, until a candy thermometer registers 120° and sugar is dissolved. Pour mixture into a large bowl. Add vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat 1 minute, then increase speed to high and beat until egg whites form stiff, glossy peaks, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer rounds to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Working quickly, spread meringue with a spoon or small spatula over rounds and sorbet/ice cream, making lots of peaks all over with the back of the spoon. (You can also use a pastry bag fitted with a large fluted tip and pipe meringue thickly around each ball of ice cream and cake.) Be sure all of the sorbet/ice cream is covered with meringue. Bake, rotating pan once halfway through, until edges of meringues are browned, 2½-3 minutes. Divide among plates, drizzle fresh raspberry sauce around meringues, and serve immediately.
• Do Ahead: Baked Alaskas can be assembled 3 days ahead. Keep frozen-but don't cover them, because the meringue won't freeze hard and you'll ruin the piping. Bake before serving.