Macadamia Rum Baked Alaska Recipes

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.

MACADAMIA RUM BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. and butter and flour a loaf pan, 9 by 5 by 3 inches, knocking out excess flour.
• Onto a sheet of wax paper sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed cream butter 1 minute and beat in sugar in a steady stream, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in rum until mixture is pale and fluffy. Add flour mixture, one third at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat until batter is smooth. Spoon batter into prepared pan, smoothing top, and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Invert cake onto rack and cool completely.
• In a small saucepan combine sugar and water and boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in rum. Cool syrup to room temperature.
• In a metal bowl stir together ice cream and nuts and freeze until needed.
• Line cleaned loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 3-inch overhang on short sides. Halve cake horizontally with a serrated knife and reserve bottom half for another use. Halve remaining cake horizontally and put bottom layer in loaf pan. Brush layer in loaf pan and cut side of other layer with syrup. Working quickly, spread ice cream evenly over cake layer in loaf pan and top with remaining cake layer, rounded side up. Freeze cake, covered, until frozen hard, about 6 hours. Cake may be made 3 days ahead and kept frozen.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer stir together egg whites, salt, and sugar. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir mixture just until sugar is dissolved. Remove bowl from pan and with mixer beat meringue until it holds stiff, glossy peaks.
• Working quickly, remove cake from pan and arrange, flat side down, on an ovenproof shallow platter. With a rubber spatula spread top and sides of cake with a generous layer of meringue, covering it completely. Transfer remaining meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe it generously on and around dessert. Bake dessert in middle of oven 4 to 5 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown. Serve immediately.