So the past few weeks I have stepped-up the game with some more complicated recipes - taking 2 classes to do a recipe and watching to see how they turn out - we did chocolate eclairs, a Brazilian Chocolate roll, and then this week Baked Alaska. None of these are really complicated, but if you don't follow the directions, well ... you have a mess! I guess my biggest goal for my students is to learn how to follow directions!!
I did not take pictures of the first 2 projects, but here are a couple of my students enjoying their individual Baked Alaskas:
We used a brownie base instead of the traditional sponge-cake base and I supplied chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla ice cream instead of the traditional pistachio (too many students who are afraid to try something new and I don't like wasting food!) Most students layered the 3 ice creams in their bowl, but several used only one or 2 of the ice creams. I even had one that refused to put the meringue on hers because she was afraid she wouldn't like it - she just ate the brownie and ice cream together - ce la vie!!
Here is the recipe (of course you can do this all at one time - we only have 40 minutes each day, so I have to divide it into 2 sessions. You can also make one big Baked Alaska like the picture):
Baked Alaska
Brownies:
INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 x 13inch pan.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not overcook.
While brownie base is baking, make ice cream cups:
Soften strawberry, mint chocolate chip (or plain chocolate), and vanilla ice cream
- Line 3 - 10 ounce pyrex cups with plastic wrap.
- Spoon softened ice cream into cups making 3 layers: First strawberry, then mint chocolate chip, then vanilla. NOTE: Gently put one layer on top of the other so that the flavors do not mix together.
- Put the cups in the freezer and re-freeze the ice cream.
Meringue: (double this if you are going to make more than 3 or one big Baked Alaska )
INGREDIENTS:
• 3 large egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ cup sugar
ORDER OF WORK:
1. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff.
2. Gradually beat in the sugar.
3. Continue beating until the meringue is stiff and glossy.
INDIVIDUAL BAKED ALASKA:
- Remove the ice cream from the pyrex cups and leave it wrapped in the plastic wrap while you use one pyrex cup to cut bases from the brownie pan.
- Put the bases on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Remove the top layer of plastic wrap, then invert the ice cream onto the brownie bases. Remove the rest of the plastic wrap.
- 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.
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees on Broil.
- Broil about 3 or 4 minutes - until the meringue is light brown. Be careful not to burn peaks.
Bon Appetit!!
