Raspberry Baked Alaska Pie Food

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.

BERRY PIE BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Make the ice cream cake: Preheat the oven to 400˚. Put the puff pastry halves on a baking sheet, leaving a little space between each piece. Top with another baking sheet to keep the pastry from puffing up too much. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes.
• Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Remove the top baking sheet and brush the pastry with half the melted butter. Sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar, then flip the pastry; brush with the remaining butter and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Let cool.
• Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line with plastic wrap, leaving a 6-inch overhang on the two short ends. Trim the puff pastry pieces if necessary so they fit snugly in the pan; set aside.
• Scoop half the ice cream and sorbet into the pan, alternating flavors. Use a piece of plastic wrap to pack in the ice cream evenly. Spread with half the jam and top with 1 piece of puff pastry. Repeat with the remaining ice cream and sorbet, jam and puff pastry. Cover with the overhanging plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Make the meringue: Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until foamy, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Gradually beat in the sugar. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until stiff, shiny peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the freeze-dried strawberries and beat until combined, about 1 minute.
• Uncover the ice cream cake and invert onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Let stand until the ice cream cake slips out of the pan easily; unwrap. Spread one-quarter of the meringue over the top and sides. Transfer the remaining meringue to a large piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip. Pipe over the top and sides of the cake. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
• Brown the meringue with a kitchen torch (or bake at 500˚ until golden, 3 to 5 minutes). Use two large spatulas to transfer the baked Alaska to a platter and slice.

BAKED ALASKA PIE

Steps:

• Chill baked crust.
• Preheat broiler 10 minutes or so.
• In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan add marshmellows and water heat over low heat until melted.
• Stir constantly.
• Set aside.
• Beat egg whites until stiff.
• Add sugar and salt.
• Mix well.
• Fold in marshmellow mixture until well incorporated.
• Remove crust from fridge.
• Sprinkle crust with 1 cup of berries.
• Fill crust with ice cream.
• Sprinkle ice cream with 1 cup of berries.
• Top with meringue covering pie completely.
• Broil several inches inches below heat until lightly browned.
• Serve at once plain or with your favorite sauce*.
• (This pie may be frozen as soon as pie is browned. Remove from oven and place in freezer. After an hour, remove from freezer and cover with plastic. Return to freezer. To serve: let stand at room temp for 45 minutes.) Raspberry Sauce: Heat though and serve.

INDIVIDUAL CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY BAKED ALASKAS

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan, then line bottom with wax paper and butter paper.
• Melt chocolate and butter in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring, until smooth. Remove bowl from pan and whisk 3/4 cup sugar into chocolate mixture. Whisk in whole eggs and salt, then sift cocoa over and whisk until just combined.
• Pour batter into baking pan, spreading evenly, and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then invert onto rack and cool completely.
• Cut cake into 6 equal pieces, then arrange 1 piece in each gratin dish, trimming to fit. Top each piece of cake with a large scoop of ice cream (about 1/2 cup), then freeze, covered, just until ice cream is hard, about 25 minutes (do not let ice cream become rock hard unless making ahead - see cooks' note, below).
• Make meringue just before serving:
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Beat egg whites and a pinch of salt with an electric mixer until they just hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar a little at a time, beating at high speed, and continue beating until whites just hold stiff, glossy peaks, about 5 minutes in a standing mixer or about 12 minutes with a handheld.
• Remove gratin dishes from freezer and mound meringue over ice cream and cake, spreading to edge of gratin dish. Bake on a baking sheet in middle of oven until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Serve immediately.

VANILLA-RASPBERRY BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Dacquoise: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Use a pencil to trace six 3 1/2-inch-diameter circles on a piece of parchment. Turn over parchment and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Using a food processor, finely grind almonds. Transfer to a small bowl and whisk in confectioners' sugar. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together egg whites and salt until frothy. Continue beating on high speed while gradually adding superfine sugar until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from mixer and gently fold almond mixture into meringue. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip. Use a small amount of meringue to adhere prepared parchment to each corner of baking sheet. Pipe rounds of meringue using traced circles as a guide, starting at outer edge of each circle and moving toward center. Bake until firm and dry, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Let cool completely on sheet.
• Filling: Line six 4-inch bowls with plastic wrap and freeze until chilled, at least 20 minutes. Spread about 6 tablespoons sorbet into each bowl, pressing firmly into bottom to create a smooth surface and prevent air pockets. Freeze until solid, about 1 hour. Spread about 1/2 cup ice cream evenly over sorbet in each bowl, pressing firmly to create a smooth surface and prevent air pockets. Place one dacquoise round, top-side down, on ice cream, pressing gently to adhere. Wrap overhanging plastic over the top and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
• Unwrap plastic on top of bowls (dip exterior of bowls in warm water to loosen, if necessary). Invert bowls onto a rimmed baking sheet, remove plastic wrap, and refreeze until ready to serve.
• Meringue Topping: Just before serving, combine egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer set over (not in) a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch. Transfer bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 3/8-inch plain round tip (such as Ateco #804); decoratively pipe meringue over each bombe to cover. Lightly brown meringue all over with a small kitchen torch. Serve immediately.