Food: Baked Alaska
If you are planning on impressing anybody with your kitchen skills, be it family, friend or foe, this dessert will ensure just that. Also known as a glace au four, the Baked Alaska is an intriguing dessert, boasting both hot, gooey meringue and soft cold ice cream.
Firstly you will need
- a small sponge flan case (85g approx)
- a fruit jam of your choice (strawberry of cherry work well)
- 500ml of good quality ice cream
- 3 medium egg whites
- 2 tablespoons of apple juice
- 125g golden caster sugar
1) Put the flan case on an ovenproof plate or dish (a foil pie dish works fine) and drizzle the apple juice over the base, allowing a little time fort the flan to soak up the juice.
2) Spread the jam evenly over the base and stick the ice cream evenly spread out on top of it. Ensure it resembles some sort of dome-like shape. After you have done that, place it on a flat surface in the freezer while you make your meringue mix.
3) To make the meringue, whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk until they turn white and thick. When they sit in stiff peaks, you are ready to start adding your sugar. If the mix is still runny, keep whisking.
MANLY NOTE: do not get any yolk in with your egg whites, this will stop the meringue from working.
4) Keep whisking, gradually add your sugar, until your mix is smooth and glossy and stiffly peaking. When it is ready, you should be able to lift the bowl above your head, upside down, without it tipping.
5) Get the prepared base out of the freezer and use a pallet knife to spread the meringue, ensuring it completely covers the ice cream and seals the sponge cake edge. Return the the freezer for at least an hour before serving.
6) To serve, preheat the oven to 220°c/200°c fan/gas mark 7. Take the alaska straight out of the freezer into the oven and wait 4 or 5 minutes until the meringue starts to tinge brown. Serve immediately.