Beyond Our Sky

Baked Alaska

Baked alaska is an impressive dessert that is actually quite easy to make. It consists of layers of cake and ice cream covered with a toasted meringue.

This is actually my first time making a baked alaska, as I just purchased a blow torch and had left over egg whites. As mentioned previously, there are three main components: cake, ice cream and meringue.

For the cake, you can either use a store-bought cake or make your own. I made a gluten-free sponge cake and the recipe is provided below. Depending on the mould or tin, you may need to double the recipe since it is scaled-down. Only a thin layer of cake is required. Alternatively, you can replace the sponge cake with a brownie layer or whatever you prefer – it is very customisable.

For the ice cream, I used store-bought vanilla and chocolate ice cream, but you can of course make your own. I also roasted some macadamia nuts, chopped and folded them into the vanilla ice cream. You can chose whatever ice cream flavours you prefer, again it is very customisable. I recommend using flavours that will complement each other, for example the rich chocolate ice cream is balanced with the vanilla and meringue. I wouldn’t pick two flavours that are both sweet.

For the meringue, it is a swiss meringue that consists of heating the egg whites and sugar over a double-boiler. I toasted the meringue with a blow torch. If you do not have a blow torch, you can simply place it in the oven at the highest temperature for 3-5 minutes.

For the mould, I used a loaf pan to assemble the layers and cut it in half to make two mini-ish baked alaskas. I was inspired by this baked alsaka by Caroline Schiff. Alternatively, you can use a big bowl or small individual bowls to assemble it – so you would put the ice cream in first followed by the cake. Whatever mould you are using, you must line it with cling wrap so it is easy to remove. Everything should be assembled the night before so the ice cream has time to harden before covering it with meringue.

After toasting the meringue, I recommend putting it in the freezer for about 30 minutes before slicing it. This is just for precaution and ensures you get clean slices. As you can see in the photograph below, the ice cream was slightly melted as it was sitting out too long when I was taking photos.

The leftovers can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 week.

I hope you enjoy the recipe and let me know if you have any questions!

 

Baked Alaska 

Gluten-free Sponge Cake

  • 1 egg, seperated
  • 30g sugar, divided
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 20g white rice flour
  • 15g potato starch
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 25x13x6cm loaf pan with baking paper.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg white on low speed. Gradually increase the speed and once foamy, add 10g of caster sugar a teaspoon at a time. Beat to stiff peaks (be careful not to overwhip). Set the egg whites aside.
  3. In the stand mixer bowl, add the egg yolk, 20g of caster sugar and vanilla. Beat on high speed until pale and thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Fold half of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Then fold in the remaining egg whites, being careful not to knock out too much air.
  5. Sift in the rice flour and potato starch. Gently fold until just incorporated and no more flour remains.
  6. Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.
  7. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cake lightly springs back when touched.
  8. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Assembly

  • 350g chocolate ice cream, slightly softened
  • 350g vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
  • 50g macadamia nuts
  1. Line a loaf pan with cling wrap, ensuring there is overhang on both sides so you can remove it from the tin.
  2. Place the cooled cake into the loaf pan to form a base layer.
  3. Evenly spread the chocolate ice cream over the cake. Place it in the freezer until the chocolate layer is set, about 2 hours.
  4. Meanwhile, roast the macadamia nuts at 180°C for about 8-10 minutes, mixing halfway through. Allow the nuts to cool, then roughly chop them and fold into the softened vanilla ice cream.
  5. Evenly spread the macadamia-vanilla ice cream onto the set chocolate layer. Place the tin in the freezer overnight or until all the layers are completely hardened.

Swiss Meringue

  • 180g egg whites (about 6)
  • 300g caster sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  1. In a heatproof bowl, add the egg whites and sugar. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water, ensuring the bottom doesn’t touch the water. Whisk the mixture constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers and you should feel no granules of sugar.
  2. Remove from the heat and place the bowl onto your stand mixture. Whip for about 5-10 minutes until stiff peaks form. Towards the end, add the vanilla extract.
  3. Remove the ice cream loaf from the freezer and lift it out of the pan. Discard the plastic wrap. Cut the loaf in half to form two squares/cubes. If the ice cream has softened, place the squares in the freezer.
  4. Cover each square generously with meringue, ensuring it is completely sealed with no gaps and touching the plate. Using a blow torch, brown the meringue. If you do not have a blow torch, place it in a preheated 240°C oven for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Set it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before serving.