Cherry Almond Baked Alaska
This recipe may seem intimidating in length and steps. The beauty is that you can build any combination of ice cream, filling and cake for an impressive dessert. Included are the cake and filling recipes shown, however any brownie or cake can be used as the base, and the filling can be a frosting, preserve, chocolate or simply eliminated. The molds can be prepared and frozen a week ahead, leaving just the meringue step for serving day!
Makes 8 individual servings.
You will need
• 1 qt. Cedar Crest® Black Cherry Ice Cream
• 1 recipe Almond Cloud Cake
• 1 recipe Frangipane Filling
• 1 recipe Meringue
• 8 – 3” prep bowls or custard cups
• Cooking torch
Ingredients
Almond Cloud Cake
• 2¼ cups cake flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1¼ cups buttermilk
• 4 large egg whites
• 11/2 cups sugar
• 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
Frangipane filling
• 3/4 cup (about 7 ounces) almond paste (not marzipan)
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
Meringue
• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
Directions
Frangipane filling
Can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the almond paste until it is crumbly. Add the butter, sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, egg, flour and salt, and continue to pulse until the mixture is combined and smooth. Cover tightly and refrigerate until needed.
Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9”x13” pan parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl. Combine the sugar and the butter and beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until very light. Beat in the extracts, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly-mixed and well-aerated. Divide the batter between the pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch. Cool completely.
Assembly
1. Line 8 – 3” prep bowls or custard cups with plastic wrap, allowing excess to hang over rim of bowl. Pack ice cream into each cup, flush and smooth to the top.
2. Using a round cutter or knife (using prep bowls or custard cup as guide), cut out 8 – 3” rounds of cake. (Note: scraps of cake can be frozen and later layered with whipped cream and fruit for an easy dessert!)
3. Spread a ¼” layer of almond filling on each cake round. Place each cake round on top of ice cream bowls, filling side to ice cream.
4. Wrap each ice cream/cake bowl in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours or up to 1 week.
5. Prepare meringue: Place cream of tartar and egg whites in a large bowl; beat on medium speed of a hand mixer until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Add sugar, and beat until stiff but not dry peaks form, about 2 minutes.
6. Remove ice cream/cake cups from freezer and unmold. Place, cake side down, on a parchment lined bake pan (if using oven) or individual plates (if using torch).
7. With a spatula, cover each mold with meringue, creating peaks and swirls.
8. Torch: using a cooking torch, brown meringue.
Oven: preheat oven to 450ºF. Bake until meringue turns golden, about 5 minutes.
9. Serve immediately!