Baked Alaska

Name: Baked Alaska
Ingredients: 9 ounces sweet dark chocolate; 1/2 cup water; 4 ounces sugar plus 2 ounces sugar; 7 ounces unsalted butter, softened; 4 eggs; 3/4 pound raw unsalted macadamia nuts; 1 pint milk; 1 vanilla bean; 6 egg yolks; 7 ounces sugar; 1 cup heavy cream; 1 cup egg whites; 1/2 cup light corn syrup; 12 ounces sugar; 1/2 cup water; 1 bottle amaretto; 1/2 cup sugar; 1 cup mascarpone; 8 ounces raspberries fresh or thawed; 8 ounces blackberries fresh or thawed; 1/2 cup sugar; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 2 ounces Chambord; For the Flourless Chocolate Cake: Heat the oven at 350 degrees F.

26 ingredients

40 steps

Ingredients

9 ounces sweet dark chocolate
1/2 cup water
4 ounces sugar plus 2 ounces sugar
7 ounces unsalted butter, softened
4 eggs
3/4 pound raw unsalted macadamia nuts
1 pint milk
1 vanilla bean
6 egg yolks
7 ounces sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup egg whites
1/2 cup light corn syrup
12 ounces sugar
1/2 cup water
1 bottle amaretto
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup mascarpone
8 ounces raspberries fresh or thawed
8 ounces blackberries fresh or thawed
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 ounces Chambord
For the Flourless Chocolate Cake: Heat the oven at 350 degrees F.
Cut the chocolate into small pieces. Bring the water and 4 ounces of sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and add the chocolate. Slowly mix in pieces of the butter until fully incorporated. Set aside. In a mixer, whip the eggs and 2 ounces of sugar on high speed until light and airy but not to full volume. When the chocolate is warm fold it gently into the egg mixture. Pour batter over a half sheet pan that is lined with a silpat or with parchment paper. Bake until the cake is firm and slightly spongy in the center. Remove from oven and let cool at room temperature then transfer to the refrigerator. Cut around the edges of the cake. Carefully turn it out onto an inverted half sheet pan and peel back the silpat. With a small ring mold (roughly 2 inches in diameter) cut disks out of the cake. Return disks to the refrigerator.
For the Macadamia Nut Ice Cream: Toast the macadamia nuts on a sheet pan in a 300 degree F oven until deep golden brown. Grind the nuts in a food processor adding a 1/3 cup of milk to make a paste. Add the vanilla bean to the remaining milk and bring to a simmer. Add the nut paste, cover, and let steep for 1 hour. Whip the yolks and sugar until they form a ribbon when pulled with the whip. Bring the milk mixture back to simmering. Strain through cheesecloth. Squeeze the lump of ground nuts through the cheesecloth to extract as much milk as possible. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the milk mixture. Slowly stir the hot milk mixture into the eggs. Cook the mixture in a bain-maire until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the cream. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, cover and cool in the refrigerator overnight. Turn the mix in an ice cream freezer. Spoon into a quart container, cover, and freeze overnight.

Directions

1

For the Italian Meringue: Put the egg whites in a very clean mixer bowl with a whip attachment.
2

Boil the light corn syrup, sugar and water in a small saucepot with a candy thermometer attached.
3

When the mixture reaches 230 degrees F start the mixer at high speed.
4

See that the whites do not pass medium peaks before the syrup mixture reaches 240 degrees.
5

When the syrup reaches 240 degrees F remove it from the stove.
6

Turn the mixer down to medium and slowly drizzle the syrup into the egg whites towards the edge of the bowl.
7

Try to get it between the whip and the bowl to avoid splattering.
8

When all of the syrup has been added turn the mixer back up to high speed and whip until the mixture cools.
9

Placing a bowl of ice under the mixer bowl will speed this process up.
10

Transfer to container and refrigerate.
11

For this dish the meringue is best served cool but not cold.
12

For the Amaretto Sauce: Combine the Amaretto and sugar in a saucepot and bring to a boil.
13

Use caution, as the mixture will become very flammable when hot.
14

Continue to boil the mixture for 10 or 15 minutes (up to 45 depending on heat of the stove) until the mixture reaches syrup consistency.
15

It will have a very tight bubble and will be thick.
16

Remove from heat.
17

Add the mascarpone a spoonful at a time stirring constantly with a spoon.
18

Transfer to a squeeze bottle or a container with a lid.
19

Let cool to room temperature and store in the refrigerator.
20

Bring sauce to room temperature before serving.
21

If consistency is too thick warm the sauce slightly or cool if too thin.
22

For the Chambord Sauce: Put raspberries, blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepot.
23

Bring to a low boil.
24

Cook mixture, stirring often, until it gets thick and syrup-like.
25

The liquid portion of the mixture should coat the back of a spoon when ready.
26

Let cool for about 5 minutes before mixing in the Chambord.
27

Force the mixture through a fine sieve.
28

Transfer to a squeeze bottle or small container.
29

Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.
30

It's best served cold.
31

If mixture is too thick add a little water or more Chambord.
32

To assemble: Spoon some of the meringue into a large pastry bag.
33

Place a chocolate cake disk in the center of each plate.
34

Top with a 2-ounce scoop of ice cream.
35

Pipe the meringue around the cake and ice cream.
36

Pipe the meringue on the plate just touching the outer rim of the cake.
37

Work your way up around the ice cream and then to a tip on top.
38

Once all plates have meringue, use a blowtorch to carefully brown the meringue.
39

Spoon or pipe the sauce onto the plate around the Baked Alaska.
40

Serve quickly as the ice cream will be starting to melt.