Flambe Showstopper Baked Alaska Food

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.

FLAMBE SHOWSTOPPER BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Sponge cake:.
• In a small saucepan, warm the milk and 2 teaspoons butter together over medium-low heat. In an electric mixer beat the eggs and 1 cup of the sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and has tripled in volume, about 8 minutes. With the mixer on low, beat in the warm milk mixture.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium-size mixing bowl. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture and blend thoroughly until smooth. Add the vanilla and mix gently.
• Grease a 17 X 12-inch baking pan or jelly-roll pan very generously with butter. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Pour the cake batter into the pan, spreading it evenly. Bake until the cake springs back when touched, about 15 minutes. Cool for about 2 minutes, then gently flip it out onto a large wire rack or a large sheet of parchment paper. Let cool completely.
• Place the inverted 5-cup-capacity metal bowl in one corner of the sponge cake trace and cut out the circle and place aside.
• Spray the metal bowl with cooking spray; line with plastic. Layer the bottom and side of the bowl with sponge cake. You may drizzle with optional liquor and or jam of choice.
• Fill 1/3 to 1/2 way up with the ice cream. Layer optional berries if using. If any sponge cake is leftover place sponge layer then fill with remaining ice cream.
• (If there is any cake or ice cream leftover it`s for the chef or little people (children)that helped.).
• Top with the circle of cake that was set aside and cover surface with plastic wrap, press to remove air bubbles and place in freezer. Freeze until ice cream is very hard, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
• Meringue:.
• Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and beat until the meringue is stiff and glossy.
• Remove the cake from the freezer and place serving dish removing plastic. With a rubber spatula, carefully spread the meringue evenly over the tops and sides of the cake. Making peaks in the meringue. With a small blow torch, brown the meringue.
• Optional:.
• To brown it in the oven, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Put the baked Alaska in the hot oven until the meringue is tinged golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Or use a hand torch to brown all meringue.
• Optional baking:.
• Preheat oven to 500° or higher if you have a higher setting.
• Place frozen dome on parchment paper covered frozen cookie sheet pan (dome up/wide flat side down). Spread meringue over cake. If ice cream starts to soften, return cake to freezer for 15 minutes.
• Place in oven, and bake until meringue just starts to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven.
• Flambe Option:.
• To flambe successfully, choose a high alcohol content liquor-- 80 proof or higher. Before browning the dessert, embed it like a small cup in the meringue. Just before serving, place 1/4 cup liquor and a ladle in a small saucepan. Heat the ladle and the liquor just until the liquor begins to bubble (do not allow the liquor to boil off, or it will not stay lit when you need it to). Immediately ask someone to turn out the lights. Ladle part of the liquor into the eggshell and ignite it with a match. As the liquor burns, fill the warmed ladle half full with more of the warmed liquor and drizzle it slowly into the eggshell, raising the ladle as high as you safely can. The flame will go out by itself when the alcohol burns off. Walla! Here comes the Ooohhhh`s and AAAhhhh`s!

BIRTHDAY BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Make the cake: Line a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap or parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
• Put the sliced strawberries, sugar, and lime or lemon juice in a small bowl, stir and set aside for 2 hours while you put together the rest of the cake.
• Each type of ice cream has to be softened before you can use it, so, as you need it, cut it into hunks, put the pieces in a large bowl, and bash and beat them with a sturdy flexible spatula or wooden spoon until spreadable. If you're using homemade ice cream, you can take it straight from the ice cream maker.
• Soften the blueberry ice cream, then spread it evenly over the bottom of the loaf pan. Smooth the top. Cover, and freeze for at least 1 hour.
• Soften the vanilla ice cream, stir in the coconut, then smooth it over the blueberry ice cream. Level the top. Cover, and freeze for at least 1 hour.
• Drain the strawberries. Soften the strawberry ice cream, and stir the berries into it. Spread the ice cream over the vanilla layer, and smooth the top.
• Gently press ladyfingers into the soft ice cream to make a base layer; don't worry if you have some bare spots. Cover, and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. (You can do this up to 1 week in advance of serving, if you'd like.)
• At least 1 hour (or up to 8 hours) before serving, make the meringue: Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a large saucepan that can hold the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl that you can use with a hand mixer. Whisk the egg whites and sugar together in the bowl, place the bowl over the water - making sure it's not touching - and whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved and smooth. The mixture should be 160 degrees. Don't rush this; it needs about 10 minutes. If necessary, attach the bowl to the mixer, and fit with the whisk. Beat the meringue on medium-high speed for about 6 minutes, or until it's fluffy, glossy and holds stiff peaks.
• Unmold the ice cream cake onto a serving platter, one that is large enough to catch the kirsch, if you're using it, and peel away the plastic or paper. Using a spatula, cover the sides with a thick layer of meringue - creating swirls, if you'd like - and cover the top with a thinner one.
• Now you have a choice: You can pipe meringue spikes over the top, layer more meringue on top, and swirl or spike it with the back of a spoon, or make spikes by hand by pulling it into points with your fingers. Continue until you've got a pattern you like. Freeze the cake for at least 1 hour.
• To finish the cake, use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue on the top of the cake or use flaming kirsch: Put the kirsch in a small pan over low heat for about 2 minutes. Carefully light the kirsch with a long match. Slowly drizzle the flaming alcohol evenly over the entire cake, and watch it toast the meringue. It will burn off on its own.
• Cut into thick slices, and serve immediately. You can keep the cake covered and frozen for a day, but it's at its best the day it is made.

BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a 20cm cake tin. Beat together the butter and sugar using a hand whisk or freestanding mixer, for 5 mins until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and eggs, then fold through the flour, lemon zest and milk. Spoon the mixture into the tin, smooth over and bake for 18-20 mins until golden and firm to the touch. Leave to cool completely before starting the meringue.
• Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks in a clean bowl, then add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time while whisking continuously, until you have a thick, glossy mixture that holds its shape when the beaters are lifted away from the bowl. Quickly beat in the vinegar.
• Remove the ice cream from the freezer 10 mins before you assemble to soften slightly. Place the sponge on a serving plate. Spread the jam over the top of the sponge in an even layer. Scoop balls of the ice cream into a mound in the middle of the sponge, leaving a 1-2cm gap of sponge around the edge. Gently smooth the side and top of the ice cream with a palette knife. Spoon and swirl the meringue around the outside of the ice cream and cake base with a large spoon. Use a blow torch to evenly brown the outside of the meringue, if you have one. Cut into wedges to serve.