Conference turris::cooks

Baked Alaska

The design of a Mary Ann cake - a round spongecake with a shallow depression
in the center - makes it ideal for such desserts as Baked Alaska.  The small or
miniature cakes are particularly attractive for iddividual servings.

6 individual Mary Ann cakes (bought or homemade)
6 large scoops ice cream of any flavor
6 egg whites
1 c superfine sugar
1/2 t cream of tartar

1.  Place the Mary Ann cakes on a baking sheet.  Scoop on round portion of ice
cream into the drepression of each cake.  Place in the freezer until the ice cream
is thoroughly hardened.
2.  Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
3.  Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl and beat until frothy.  Gradually add the
sugar and cream of tartar, beating constantly until peaks form.  Continue
beating until stiff.
4.  Spoon the meringue onto a pastry beg fitted with a round, flat-tipped No. 7
pastry tube.  Remove the ice-cream topped cakes from the freezer.  Pipe the
merinque over the cake and ice cream, moving from bottom to top and
completely covering all ice cream and most of the cake.  Leave a little of the cake
uncovered; this will facilitate removal from the baking sheet.
5.  Place in the oven and bake for five minutes.  Serve immediately.  6 servings.
note: After covering the cake and ice cream with meringuw, the Alaskas may be
returned to the freezer and left for a few hours or even days.  When ready to
serve, they may be baked directly from the freezer.

Variation: Strawberry Baked Alaska

Hull 3/4 lb ripe, unblemished strawberries.  Set aside the 6 best berries to be
used for garnish, and slice the remainder.  Sprinkle the sliced strawberries
with 2-3 T Marsala and let soak.  Arrange the Mary Ann cakes on a baking sheet
and sprinkle them with a little Marsala.  Divide the strawberries between the
cakes, then top each with a scoop of vanilla, strawberry, or other flavored
ice cream.  Cover with meringue and bake as above.

    My brother works as chief steward on an ocean-going yacht.  He,
    too, makes Baked Alaska, but foregoes the baking.  The trick he
    uses was taught to him by a chef trained by the CIA --
    
    -- that's Culinary Institute of America...
    
    Anyway the trick is:  
    
    1. Get a propane torch, and mount one of those things that fans 
       out the flame.
    
    2. Place the meringue-covered dessert on a turntable (not plastic!) 
    
    3. Light the torch. 
    
    4. Rotate the dessert while applying the flame lightly.  It only 
       takes a few seconds, and it's foolproof.
                                                                  
    					andrew

I once saw Julia Child use a similar technique to melt the cheese
on top of French Onion Soup.  This was on the Dick Cavett show,
and when she lit off the torch Cavett hid behind the scenery.

If you're careful, you don't even need to bother with the "fan" attachment.
I've successfully browned meringue with a cylindrical tip torch, and it
IS quick and easy.

A friend of mine used to make Baked Alaska by baking a brownie mix (I forget
how the brownie was removed from the pan, probably floured the pan as well as
greasing it for a start), topping it with a quart "brick" of strawberry ice
cream and then slathering meringue over it (which he also browned with a
torch).  Maybe it's not the original recipe, but no one was heard to complain
and refuse to eat it! 

He also used a round pan once, to bake the brownie, and I molded the ice cream
in a stainless steel mixing bowl, so we had a "round" Baked Alaska instead of
"rectangular" for a change.  No difference in flavor, but I thought it looked
a little more "formal".

    HOW 'BOUT A SHOT OF BRANDY AND A MATCH

    Nope, that'll burn the sugar, not brown it.
    
    					andrew

    
    When I had it, the outside was studded (not too much) with crushed
    hazelnuts and a few glace cherries. Then it was baked or blow-torched.
    Then it was flambeed (?) with warmed brandy and brought into the
    room. The visual effect was quite stunning, the lights were low,
    and it tasted great!