Mini Baked Alaskas 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.

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.

MINI BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Prepare the brownie according to the package directions. Allow to cool completely; do not cut the brownie into pieces. Place the cooled slab of brownie on a flat surface. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 18 brownie circles; reserve the brownie trimmings for another use. Transfer the brownie circles to a serving platter.
• Put the marshmallow creme into a piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with one corner snipped.
• Working quickly, scoop vanilla ice cream onto each brownie circle. Quickly pipe marshmallow creme in a swirl shape around the brownie and ice cream so that they are completely covered. Use a kitchen torch to carefully heat the marshmallow domes until just browned. Serve immediately or store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

MINI BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Clear some room in the freezer to fit 4 dessert plates. Cut the cake into 1/2-inch thick slices. Cut out four 3-inch disks and place them on the 4 dessert plates. Place 1 scoop of ice cream in the center of each cake disk and place them in the freezer. One at a time, remove the ice cream from the freezer and encase the ice cream in slices of cake. The cake covering the ice cream should fit together nicely, creating a dome. Place them back in the freezer for up to 2 days. To make the meringue, whip the egg whites until foamy, then add the sugar, and continue whipping until stiff and glossy. Spread it over the cake domes with an icing spatula, leaving a relatively smooth surface. Push an eggshell halfway into the top to act as a bowl, which will be filled with liqueur before serving. Do all 4 domes, returning them to the freezer as you finish them. Transfer the remaining meringue to your pastry bag. Pipe meringue decoratively on the domes. Heat the broiler to very hot (or fire up your kitchen torch) and broil until lightly browned all over. Return to the freezer for up to 2 days, until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, warm a little orange liqueur in the microwave and carefully pour it into the empty eggshells. Ignite the liquor and carry it to the table. After the flame dies down, lift the eggshell off the Alaska with 2 spoons and pour the liqueur over the dessert.

MINI S'MORES BAKED ALASKAS

Steps:

• Cut the cartons off 6 single-serve chocolate ice cream cups and place each ice cream round on a graham cracker square. Freeze until firm, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, beat 4 egg whites and a pinch of cream of tartar with a mixer until foamy, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Gradually beat in 2/3 cup sugar, then beat on high speed until stiff shiny peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Spread the meringue over the ice cream, then brown with a kitchen torch and freeze until serving.

INDIVIDUAL BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Slice the pound cake loaf into 1/2-inch slices. With a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut pound cake into 6 individual portions and place on a cookie sheet.
• Place a large scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of each round cake. Freeze cake and ice cream until very hard, at least 1 hour.
• While the ice cream freezes, make your meringue:
• Preheat the oven to broil and place a rack 8 inches from the top of the oven.
• In an electric mixer with the whip attachment, on medium speed, beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Continue to beat and add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Whip until meringue has reached stiff peaks. Place meringue in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
• Remove the ice cream from the freezer. Quickly pipe the meringue evenly over the ice cream, covering completely.
• Place in the broiler and broil just until tops are browned, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Brush the inside of 2 loaf pans (9 by 5 by 3-inch) with melted butter. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper and brush again with butter. Reserve.
• Using a mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the butter and vanilla extract until creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Add the eggs, 1 at a time, making sure each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next one. Lower the speed to stir and add the flour and salt. Mix until well blended. Pour half of the batter into each prepared loaf pan.
• Bake the cakes for about 1 hour, until the top is golden brown and a bamboo skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer pans to a rack and cool for 10 minutes. Then, remove cakes from the pan and allow to cool further on the rack. Serve slightly warm or use as needed.

MINI NEAPOLITAN BAKED ALASKAS

Steps:

• Spread and flatten 4 foil muffin liners into circles. Place on a baking sheet and place a wafer cookie on the center of each. Top each wafer with 1/4 cup of ice cream. Place in freezer.
• In a small saucepan, combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar. Beat mixture on low speed with a hand mixer for 1 minute. Continue beating mixture over low heat until the mixture reaches 160° F, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
• Beat egg white mixture until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes. Take care not to overbeat.
• Remove baking sheet from freezer. Immediately spread meringue over ice cream, sealing to edges of wafers. Use a spatula or butter knife to form peaks to make a more attractive presentation (touch the spatula to the meringue and then quickly pull it away).
• Broil 4-6 inches from heat for 1-2 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Watch carefully to avoid overbrowning.
• Serve immediately.

MINI BAKED ALASKAS WITH BOOZY CHERRY CENTRES

Steps:

• Line 4 individual pudding moulds with cling film - brushing with oil first will help. Divide the ice cream between them, shaping so an even thickness covers the base and sides with a hollow in the middle. Mix the jam with 2 tsp of the kirsch, spoon into the ice-cream hollows, cover and freeze overnight.
• For the base, heat oven to 180C/ fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line a 20cm square cake tin. Reserve 2 tbsp of the almonds, then whizz the rest in a food processor until finely chopped and tip into a bowl with the flour, butter, beaten whole eggs and 100g caster sugar. Beat until smooth, then spread into the tin and bake for 15-18 mins until golden and springy. Cool on a wire rack. This cake will sit quite happily in a tin for 24 hrs, but stamp out the bases on the day or the edges will dry overnight.
• For the meringue, whisk the egg whites until stiff, then add the remaining sugar and continue whisking until the meringue is thick and glossy. Can be chilled for up to 5 hrs. With a 7cm round cutter or rim of a pudding mould, cut 4 bases from the almond sponge. Drizzle with the rest of the kirsch, then sit them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
• When you're ready to serve, heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Turn 1 ice cream out onto each round of cake, peeling off the cling film, then spread over meringue using a knife or small spatula until completely covered. Scatter with remaining almonds and bake for 3 mins until the tips of the meringues are just browning. Lift onto serving plates with a fish slice and serve immediately.

MINI APPLE PIE BAKED ALASKAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a jumbo muffin pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
• Roll out each pie dough and cut out six 6-inch circles. Place each circle into the prepared muffin pan, pushing the dough down into each cavity as best you can. Using a fork, poke holes at the bottom of each to release air during baking. Whisk the egg in a small bowl with a splash of water, and brush the crusts with the egg wash. Bake until golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• Transfer the cooled crusts onto a small baking sheet. Fill each with the apple pie filling and place in the freezer to firm up for at least 30 minutes. Remove and top each with a heaping scoop of ice cream. Return to freezer and chill for 1 hour.
• To make the meringue topping, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar on high until foamy and frothy. Continue beating on high as you slowly pour in the sugar. Keep beating until the egg whites have doubled in volume and have become stiff glossy peaks, about 8 minutes.
• Remove the tarts from the freezer and using a small straightedge spatula or butter knife, cover each completely with the meringue. You don't want it to be completely smooth as you would if you were frosting a cake. So feel free to create swirls or small peaks with your spatula or knife. Return to the freezer and chill for another hour.
• Right before serving, remove from the freezer and using a small kitchen blowtorch, toast the meringue. If you don't have a blowtorch, place the baked Alaskas under a preheated broiler for a few seconds. Drizzle each with caramel if using.

MINI BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line a standard jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
• Mix the cake mix, 4 egg yolks, oil and water in bowl, blend for 2 minutes.
• Pour into pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.
• Remove the cake from the oven and cool completely before turning it out of the pan.
• Invert into a flat, clean working surface, carefully peel off the parchment paper
• With a 2 1/2-3 inch cookie cutter, cut out cake into rounds.
• Dust off crumbs and place on a clean baking sheet lined with more parchment paper.
• Top each cake with a scoop of ice cream and put the pan in the freezer until ice cream is firm.
• Leave in the freezer until just before you wish to serve.
• Beat 4 egg whites until soft peaks form, slowly add the sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat until firm peaks hold.
• Turn on broiler (high heat).
• Remove ice cream cakes from the freezer and quickly frost with the egg white meringue.
• Insert pan into the broiler for about 1 minute, just until the meringue begins to brown. Don't let ice cream melt. Note: If you have a blowtorch use that instead. Serve immediately on chilled plates.