Strawberry Baked Alaska Recipes

Steps:

• For the sorbet: Mash the sorbet in a 7- to 8-inch-diameter bowl, then form it into a dome inside the bowl. (You may use between 2 and 3 pints depending on the size of your bowl.) Smooth the top and cover with plastic. Freeze for 8 hours or up to overnight.
• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Use 1 tablespoon butter to grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
• Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a small pot over medium heat, then let cool. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Combine the sour cream, sugar, milk, vanilla and egg in another bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture in small batches, whisking as you go to avoid the formation of lumps. Stir in the melted butter and whisk until smooth. Add the chocolate chips and stir to blend. Transfer the batter to the greased baking pan, then gently tap the sides of the pan so it is evenly distributed. Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, then use a knife to scrape around the sides of the cake pan and invert the cake from the pan onto a cooling rack, to cool completely.
• For the fruit: Stir together the strawberries and sugar in a medium bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• For the meringue: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whip the egg whites in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until they gain volume, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the cream of tartar and the sugar, then whip until stiff peaks form and the whites are firm and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the whites to a disposable pastry bag (or sealable plastic bag) fitted with a star tip.
• Assemble the dessert: When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Transfer the cake layer to a large, round, ovenproof serving platter. (You are building a dessert on top of this cake, so the platter should be larger than the cake.)
• Remove the sorbet from the freezer and run a paring knife around the edges. Fill a large bowl with warm water and gently lower the sorbet bowl into the warm water to loosen the sorbet. (Be careful not to let any water get into the sorbet bowl.) Invert the sorbet bowl onto the cake so the flat part of the sorbet lays on the cake and creates a sorbet dome. Working quickly, squeeze out the meringue in little spurts to cover the whole surface of the sorbet and cake with little egg white spikes. Have fun with it.
• Bake until the meringue hardens and browns slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Spoon the fruit around the meringue, then pour the gin around the edges of the platter and carefully light the fruit liquid so it burns a ring around the dessert as you serve it. (Use extreme caution when igniting alcohol.)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray. Make brownie batter as directed on box for cakelike brownies. Spread in pan.
• Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool 1 hour.
• Evenly spread softened strawberry ice cream on top of cooled brownie. Place in freezer while making meringue.
• In medium glass or metal bowl, stir egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and vanilla with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally with whisk, 16 to 20 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F. Pour into large bowl; beat with electric mixer on high speed 8 to 10 minutes or until stiff glossy peaks form. Use small icing spatula to swirl meringue over top of ice cream layer. Freeze at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Heat oven to 500°F. Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until meringue peaks start to turn golden brown. Cut into 5 rows by 3 rows. Store covered in freezer.

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Grease and lay parchment paper over the bottom of a jelly roll size baking pan (17 1/2 by 11 1/2-inches by 1-inch deep). With an electric beater, beat together the egg yolks, just 1/4 cup of the sugar (reserving the rest), and vanilla until the mixture becomes a pale yellow and thickens. Sift cake flour over the egg yolk mixture and set aside briefly. Wash and dry the beaters. In a separate metal bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together and gradually beat in the balance of the sugar until stiff peaks form. To the egg yolk/flour bowl, fold in 1/3 of the beaten egg whites until just barely combined. Repeat 2 more times with each of the remaining 1/3 of the beaten egg whites. Spread into jelly roll pan and bake in oven for about 15 minutes or until the surface is golden brown and springs back when touched. Let cake cool in pan.
• While the cake is cooling, it would be a good idea to make room in the freezer for the sheet cake and ice cream.
• When the cake is completely cool, peel off the browned surface of the cake. (You can do this simply by loosening it and rolling it off.) Firmly press a flat baking sheet without edges (which is the same size or larger than the baking tin) against the top edges of the baking tin and invert the cake so it is transferred to the flat sheet and remove the parchment paper. Then cut the cake in half lengthwise and in half crosswise. Two of these quarters will be dedicated to the top and bottom of the baked Alaska, respectively. Using a broad thin spatula, slide one of these quarters to a flat oven safe platter.
• Loosen the carton from the half-gallon of ice cream and place the entire brick onto the cake on the platter. Then slide the other quarter onto the top of the brick of ice cream and put the whole platter into the freezer.
• The remaining 2 pieces of cake will fit over the sides and ends of the brick of ice cream. Cut the cake to fit the dimensions of the sides and ends utilizing the most efficient positioning which will result in the fewest number of cuts. You will need 2 rectangles measuring approximately 8 inches by 3 inches and 2 rectangles measuring approximately 8 by 5-inches. Cover with plastic wrap if you are not using these immediately, to prevent them from drying out.
• Some of the meringue topping will be used to secure these rectangles to the sides of the ice cream.
• To make the meringue topping, make a slurry with 2/3 cup water gradually whisked into a small saucepan to which you have added cornstarch and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. As it thickens and becomes translucent, cover and remove it from the heat. In a scrupulously clean large metal or glass bowl, with scrupulously clean beaters, beat the egg whites (they must be at room temperature) until foamy. Add vanilla and cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Very gradually beat in sugar on high until glossy and stiff peaks form, but do not allow it to get dry. Reduce the speed of the beater to low and gradually add the cornstarch slurry. When it has all been added increase speed to medium for about 10 seconds.
• This can be refrigerated with plastic wrap on top for a short while before use.
• Immediately before serving the Baked Alaska, make sure your oven rack is in a position to provide enough clearance for the meringue and pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the sheet cake and ice cream from the freezer. Using some of the meringue as a "glue" position the pre-cut pieces of cake to fit the sides and the ends of the brick of ice cream. Then spread the rest of the meringue in a thick layer over the entire assembly, swirling it decoratively with the back of a spoon, and being sure to cover the lower edge of the cake on all sides so the meringue touches the pan base. Slide the Alaska into the oven and bake until the meringue browns, 5 or 10 minutes. Serve immediately with accompaniments of chocolate sauce, raspberry sauce, and caramel sauce.

Steps:

• To make the shortcake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sift the flour into the bowl of a food processor and add the sugar, baking powder and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Pour in the cream and process just until the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape each into a round about 4 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until just golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• To make the topping, combine the strawberries, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the orange juice and port and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until they hold soft peaks. Beat in the remaining sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Set meringue aside.
• Place the shortcake rounds on a cookie sheet. Pile each with strawberries and spoon some of the strawberry juice over the shortcakes. Top each with a scoop of ice cream and cover each with a generous layer of meringue (you may have some meringue left over). Use the back of a spoon to make decorative swirls in the meringue. Bake immediately until the meringue is delicately browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Serve at once with chocolate sauce (recipe follows) on the side.

Steps:

• Spoon ice cream into foil-lined 1-1/2-qt. bowl; pack firmly into bowl with back of spoon. Freeze 6 hours or overnight.
• Heat oven to 425ºF. Mix flour, 3 Tbsp. sugar and baking powder in medium bowl. Cut in cream cheese with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk until mixture forms dough. Pat dough onto bottom of 8-inch round pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 12 to 13 min. or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, toss strawberries with 1 Tbsp. of the remaining sugar.
• Cool cake 10 min.; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely.
• Heat oven to 500ºF. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with mixer on high speed 1 min. or until foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating 3 min. or until stiff peaks form.
• Place cake on ovenproof plate; top with strawberries and juice. Unmold ice cream; place, flat-side down, over cake. Frost ice cream with meringue; swirl with back of large spoon. Bake on lowest oven rack 3 min. or until meringue is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• 1. Chill pastry shell well after baking.
• 2. Spread bottom with strawberry jam or topping. Reserve a little to drizzle on top.
• 3. Soften ice cream at room temperature. Beat with electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
• 4. Spread ice cream evenly over bottom of pie shell, mounding it in the center.
• 5. Place in freezer immediately while preparing the meringue topping.
• 6. Whip egg whites in mixer bowl until very frothy.
• 7. Add cream of tartar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• 8. Add sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time and beat until stiff and glossy.
• 9. Spread meringue evenly over ice cream in shell to the edges to seal well.
• 10. Bake pie at 450 degrees F until slightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
• 11. Drizzle strawberry jam over top, if used.