Blueberry Sorbet For Baked Alaska Bombe Food

MINI BAKED ALASKAS!

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Use a 9 x 5" metal bread loaf pan for this recipe; it needs to have sharp corners. Do not use ceramic bakeware with rounded corners.
• Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Trim it very well to fit perfectly. Do not grease the pan in any way.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and cornstarch twice. (Or, whisk it very well).
• In a separate bowl, combine the granulated sugar and egg. Beat on high speed until it reaches the consistency of soft whipped cream. This can take anywhere from 5-8 minutes. It will be fluffy and pale yellow with soft, floppy peaks.
• Melt the butter and milk together in the microwave. Stir in the almond extract
• Fold one-third of the flour mixture into the eggs. The proper folding technique is: down the middle with the narrow part of the spatula and then sweep the sides of the bowl. Take your time and do this carefully until all of the flour mixture is incorporated, adding 1/3 of the flour mixture at a time.
• Finally, stir in the hot milk and butter mixture all at once and fold in very well.
• Pour the batter into the pan, and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove the pan from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes. Then, run a knife along the edges of the pan and invert the cake carefully onto a cooling rack. If the cake doesn't flop out, use a rubber spatula to help it. The cake is very forgiving and does not tear easily. The parchment paper will stick to the surface of the cake. Gently peel it off, but if any more than a thin layer of cake sticks to it, let it cool completely before pulling it off. You can make the sponge cake the day before.
• Next, scoop two perfect spheres of the sorbet by using an ice cream scoop. Level off the surface of the sorbet with the scoop to make a flat bottom. Then, dip your finger in warm water, and then push a hole for the cherry in the center of each scoop. This is optional.
• Move the sorbet scoops to cupcake liners (or parchment paper) and freeze until very firm.
• To assemble, use the edges of your ice cream scoop to cut out perfect-sized rounds of sponge cake. Top each cake round with one of the sorbet scoops. Place back in the freezer.*
• Next, whip the egg whites in a medium bowl on high speed until soft peaks start to form. Stream in the sugar and beat until combined. Don't beat the egg whites past the point of soft peaks--no stiff peaks! (The large amount of sugar should prevent stiff peaks, but be careful, still!)
• When ready to serve, pipe the egg whites (or use a spoon) over the sorbet-cake bombes. Use a fork to make ridges in the egg whites.
• Using a culinary torch, brûlée the egg whites from a safe distance.
• Serve immediately.

BLUEBERRY SORBET FOR BAKED ALASKA BOMBE

Steps:

• Combine blueberries and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to break up fruit. Reduce to a simmer, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and working in batches, puree mixture. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl (you should have 1 1/2 cups). Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Reserve 2 tablespoons for coulis. Freeze remaining mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions, then transfer directly to bombe mold.

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.

BAKED ALASKA BOMBE

Steps:

• Make the bombe: Line a 7-cup bombe mold or deep bowl with plastic wrap. Spread raspberry sorbet into mold, pressing evenly into bottom to prevent air pockets. Freeze 1 hour. Spread blueberry sorbet evenly over raspberry. Freeze 1 hour. Spread vanilla ice cream over blueberry. The ice cream should come to top of mold. Place dacquoise round on ice cream, pressing gently to adhere. Wrap bombe in plastic wrap, and freeze overnight.
• Dip bottom and sides of mold in hot water, unwrap top of mold, then invert mold onto a serving platter (repeat dipping if necessary). Remove plastic wrap; wipe off excess melted ice cream and sorbet. Refreeze at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Make the meringue frosting: Bring sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook, undisturbed, until a candy thermometer registers 248 degrees.
• Meanwhile, whisk egg whites with a mixer on low speed until foamy. Add salt and cream of tartar. Raise speed to medium, and whisk until soft peaks form, about 8 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add hot syrup in a slow, steady stream down side of bowl. Raise speed to high, and beat until thick, fluffy, and cool, about 7 minutes.
• Fit a large pastry bag with a large star tip (such as Ateco #827). Pipe meringue over cake to completely cover with rosettes, pulling up as you pipe to form points. Freeze at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.
• To serve, lightly brown meringue all over with a small kitchen torch. Serve immediately with coulis, blueberries, and dacquoise cookies.

BLUEBERRY SORBET

Steps:

• Make a simple syrup combining sugar and water in heavy saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat; reduce to medium-low heat and simmer, stirring until sugar has dissolved (6-8 minutes)-(** This step can be made ahead and kept refrigerated until ready to use).
• Cool completely.
• Combine blueberries, simple syrup and juice from 2 fresh lemons in food processor.
• Puree until smooth.
• Transfer puree to ice cream maker freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Put into freezable container and place in freezer until firm.
• Makes 1 quart.

SUMMER BERRY BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Simmer blackberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the blackberries are soft and very saucy, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and zest. Pour into a pie plate and let cool to room temperature.
• Spray a 3 1/2-quart metal or glass bowl with cooking spray and line with plastic wrap, leaving a 1-inch overhang over the edge of the bowl.
• Spread 2 cups of vanilla ice cream over the bottom of the bowl. Use a large piece of plastic wrap to press the ice cream down into the bowl. Dip both sides of half the angel food cake in to the blackberry syrup (like you do with French toast) and arrange, on top of the ice cream, tearing pieces of cake as needed to cover in a flat layer. Top with any remaining sauce.
• Spread the raspberry sorbet over the angel food cake. Use a large piece of plastic wrap to press down the sorbet. Flatten with a spatula and top with the remaining angel food cake slices, tearing pieces of cake as needed to cover in a flat layer. Fold the overhanging plastic over top and gently press down. Freeze until hard, at least 4 hours up to overnight.
• Make the meringue: Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until foamy, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to high, gradually add the sugar and whip until the whites hold stiff peaks and the sugar has dissolved, 5 minutes more. Invert the ice cream cake onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, remove the plastic wrap. (If the cake is difficult to remove, let the bowl stand overturned until it slips out easily, about 5 minutes.) Spread the meringue evenly over the sides, but slightly thicker on top. Use the back of a spoon to make large swirly peaks. Freeze 3 hours or up to 2 days.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Bake the dessert until the meringue is browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Alternately, use a small torch to brown the meringue all over. Use two large spatulas to transfer the baked Alaska to a large serving plate, cake stand or cutting board. Slice into wedges.

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.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE BOMBE ALASKA WITH HOT CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• First make the cake: heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Lightly butter a Swiss roll tin and line the base with non-stick baking parchment. Put the whole eggs, egg yolks and caster sugar in a bowl and whisk with an electric hand whisk for 8-10 mins until light and fluffy. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of almost simmering water, stirring occasionally.
• When the whisked egg mixture is light and fluffy, gently fold in the flour with a large metal spoon or the whisk blades, taking care not to lose too much volume. Beat a small amount of the egg mixture into the melted chocolate, then gently fold the chocolate into the remaining egg mixture. Pour into the prepared tin, then tilt the tin from side to side until even and the corners are filled. Bake for 10 mins until firm, then leave to cool completely.
• Line a 1-litre freezer-proof pudding basin with cling film. Cut a small circle of sponge cake to fit the base then cut triangular pieces to line the sides. Fill any gaps with trimmings and save the remaining sponge for later. Place the bowl in the freezer to firm up the sponge.
• Make the ice cream: slice the vanilla pod in half lengthways and remove the seeds. Put the milk, vanilla seeds and pod, orange zest, caster sugar and cream into a medium pan and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks together in a large bowl. Pour the hot cream mixture slowly on to the eggs, whisking all the time. Return the mix to a clean pan and stir constantly over a gentle heat for about 5 mins until the mixture has just thickened. Pass through a sieve and leave to cool for 30 mins. Churn in an ice-cream machine (or make by hand, see 'Try' below). Add the marmalade and continue to churn for another 10 mins until thick.
• Scoop the ice cream into the cake-lined bowl, leaving a central indent for the sorbet layer. Sit a small bowl in the top of the ice cream to make a smooth indent for the sorbet later to sit in. Freeze for at least 1 hr, until just firm.
• Fill the centre of the bombe with orange sorbet, cover the entire base of the bowl with a layer of sponge, cover with cling film and return to the freezer until needed, or at least 8 hrs ahead. This can be done well in advance and that's all the really hard work done.
• To make the hot chocolate sauce, grate the chocolate into a bowl and add the golden syrup, butter and warm water. Melt over a pan of just simmering water until melted, stirring occasionally.
• About 20 mins before serving, heat oven to 230C/fan 210C/gas 8. Whisk the egg whites and a pinch of salt in a large clean bowl until stiff but not dry. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, bringing it back to stiff peaks before each addition. Turn the bombe out onto an ovenproof serving dish and remove the cling film. Spoon the meringue all over the bombe to completely seal it. Using the back of the spoon or a palette knife, pull the meringue into dramatic swirls. Bake for 10-15 mins or until golden. Reheat the chocolate sauce over a pan as before or in a microwaveable bowl for 1 min on Low, stirring halfway through. Take the Chocolate orange bombe Alaska to the table immediately and serve sliced, drizzled with the hot chocolate sauce.

BLUEBERRY SORBET

Steps:

• Combine blueberries, sugar, water, lemon zest, and juice in the bowl of a food processor and process until pureed.
• Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and process for 30 minutes according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 1 hour.

RASPBERRY SORBET FOR BAKED ALASKA BOMBE

Steps:

• Combine raspberries and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to break up fruit. Reduce to a simmer, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and working in batches, puree mixture in a blender. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl (you should have 1 cup). Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Reserve 2 tablespoons for coulis. Freeze remaining mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions, then transfer directly to bombe mold.