Only ever heard of baked Alaska in the movies? Here is an easy and delicious recipe so you can try it first-hand.
Baked Alaska
Makes 4
Ingredients
1.8L blueberry ice cream
1 store-bought vanilla sponge or Madeira cake
5 egg whites
Pinch cream of tartar
½ cup (110g) caster sugar
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange
1 Tbsp (15ml) orange liqueur
¼ cup (60ml) brandy
Method
- Wipe the inside of 6 dome moulds (about 6x8cm each) with a wet cloth and line with clingfilm. (Wetting the mould makes clingfilm stick best.)
- Remove ice cream from freezer and leave to soften slightly for 5-10 minutes.
- Tightly press the ice cream into each mould.
- Cut cake slices to 3cm thick, then cut each into 6cm rounds (or to match the size of your moulds).
- Place cake on top of moulds, cover with clingfilm and freeze for 4 hours or preferably overnight.
- Once set, prepare the meringue. Whisk egg whites to stiff peaks. Then, while continuously whisking, add cream of tartar and about 1-2 Tbsp of sugar at a time ensuring sugar is dissolved before adding the next addition. Continue whisking until all sugar has been added and dissolved. The meringue should be glossy with stiff peaks.
- Fold vanilla and zest through meringue.
- Unwrap moulds and unmould the ice cream, pulling the clingfilm to assist the process. Place desserts cake-side down on serving plates.
- Cover the dessert with meringue. Using a blowtorch, scorch the meringue until golden. (If you do not have a blowtorch, place the dessert under a preheated oven grill, only for a few seconds.)
- Place orange liqueur and brandy in a jug, set liquor alight and gently pour over the baked Alaska.
- Once the flames die down, cut and enjoy!
By: Lichelle May
Photography by: Zhann Solomons
