Swiss Meringue For Traditional Baked Alaska Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups of water to a simmer in a medium pot.
• Combine sugar, egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer.
• Reduce the heat of the pot and place the bowl over the steam. Whisk egg whites lightly until a digital or candy thermometer inserted into the mixture reads 160 degrees F (71 degrees C), 6 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat immediately.
• Place bowl back onto the stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until egg whites are cool and stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Mixture should hold peaks effortlessly and start balling up around the whisk attachment while appearing silky, shiny, and pure white.
• Use meringue immediately. It will hold its shape without separating for about a week in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Fill medium saucepan one quarter full with water. Set the saucepan over medium heat, and bring water to a simmer.
• Combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of electric mixer, and place over saucepan. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Test by rubbing between your fingers.
• Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use meringue immediately.

Steps:

• Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round mixing bowl or deep 8-inch square container with foil. Spread ice cream in container, packing firmly. Cover and freeze 8 hours or until firm.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8x8 inch pan.
• Prepare cake mix with egg and almond extract. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven according to package instructions, until center of cake springs back when lightly touched.
• Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt and sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment or heavy brown paper. Place cake in center. Turn molded ice cream out onto cake. Quickly and prettily spread meringue over cake and ice cream, all the way to paper to seal. Return to freezer 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Bake the Alaska on the lowest shelf, 8 to 10 minutes, or until meringue is lightly browned. Serve at once.

Steps:

• Make the cake: Line a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap or parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
• Put the sliced strawberries, sugar, and lime or lemon juice in a small bowl, stir and set aside for 2 hours while you put together the rest of the cake.
• Each type of ice cream has to be softened before you can use it, so, as you need it, cut it into hunks, put the pieces in a large bowl, and bash and beat them with a sturdy flexible spatula or wooden spoon until spreadable. If you're using homemade ice cream, you can take it straight from the ice cream maker.
• Soften the blueberry ice cream, then spread it evenly over the bottom of the loaf pan. Smooth the top. Cover, and freeze for at least 1 hour.
• Soften the vanilla ice cream, stir in the coconut, then smooth it over the blueberry ice cream. Level the top. Cover, and freeze for at least 1 hour.
• Drain the strawberries. Soften the strawberry ice cream, and stir the berries into it. Spread the ice cream over the vanilla layer, and smooth the top.
• Gently press ladyfingers into the soft ice cream to make a base layer; don't worry if you have some bare spots. Cover, and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. (You can do this up to 1 week in advance of serving, if you'd like.)
• At least 1 hour (or up to 8 hours) before serving, make the meringue: Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a large saucepan that can hold the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl that you can use with a hand mixer. Whisk the egg whites and sugar together in the bowl, place the bowl over the water - making sure it's not touching - and whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved and smooth. The mixture should be 160 degrees. Don't rush this; it needs about 10 minutes. If necessary, attach the bowl to the mixer, and fit with the whisk. Beat the meringue on medium-high speed for about 6 minutes, or until it's fluffy, glossy and holds stiff peaks.
• Unmold the ice cream cake onto a serving platter, one that is large enough to catch the kirsch, if you're using it, and peel away the plastic or paper. Using a spatula, cover the sides with a thick layer of meringue - creating swirls, if you'd like - and cover the top with a thinner one.
• Now you have a choice: You can pipe meringue spikes over the top, layer more meringue on top, and swirl or spike it with the back of a spoon, or make spikes by hand by pulling it into points with your fingers. Continue until you've got a pattern you like. Freeze the cake for at least 1 hour.
• To finish the cake, use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue on the top of the cake or use flaming kirsch: Put the kirsch in a small pan over low heat for about 2 minutes. Carefully light the kirsch with a long match. Slowly drizzle the flaming alcohol evenly over the entire cake, and watch it toast the meringue. It will burn off on its own.
• Cut into thick slices, and serve immediately. You can keep the cake covered and frozen for a day, but it's at its best the day it is made.