Individual Baked Alaska Recipe

Baked Alaska recipe...Worth every minute.

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE SAUCE
7 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate ( do not use chips!)
1 cup heavy whipping cream

RASPBERRY SAUCE
1 pint frozen raspberries, without syrup
2 tablespoons granulated sugar ( approx.)
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pinch salt

BASE
1 sponge cake, any flavor,that has been baked in a sheet pan,jelly-roll style
1 quart of your favorite flavor ice cream

MERINGUE
1/2 cup egg white, warmed to room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Directions

To make the chocolate sauce: chop the chocolate to a rough consistency.

Heat the cream just to a scald, then pour over the chocolate.

Do not stir.

Let it sit for about 5 minutes, then stir with a whisk until smooth.

Makes about 1 cup.

To make the raspberry sauce: Puree the raspberries in a blender with the remaining ingredients.

Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds.

Refrigerate until needed.

Makes about 1 cup.

To assemble the ice-cream bases: line a baking sheet with parchment.

Using a 3" round cookie cutter (or a glass) cut 6 circles out of the cake, and place them on the parchment.

Place a scoop of ice cream in the center of each piece of cake, making sure you leave a small margin of cake visible all the way around.

Place in the freezer until the meringue is ready.

To prepare the meringue: combine the sugar, corn syrup and water in a heavy, 1-quart saucepan over medium heat.

Bring to a boil, then cook until the syrup reaches 230 degrees F, or if you using a candy thermometer this is called thread stage.

Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the bowl of your mixer, and fit the whip attachment to your mixer.

When the syrup reaches the thread stage, start whipping your egg whites on high speed.

When the syrup reaches 245-250 degrees F (firm-ball stage), lower the speed of the mixer to low, and very, very, VERY slowly start pouring the syrup in, in a slow, steady, thin stream until it is all used up.

Immediately return the mixer to high speed and continue whipping until the meringue reaches a very stiff peaked consistency.

Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fit with a plain tip.

Remove the ice cream bases from the freezer.

Now you are going to create a meringue"beehive" around each scoop of ice cream.

To pipe the meringue you need to start at the bottom edge of the cake, pipe a ring of meringue around the icecream so that it completely covers the cake edge.

Then continue to pipe a line of meringue all around the scoop of ice cream, making sure you completely cover the ice cream, and that each line of meringue rests on top of the previous one.

Finish with a small circle at the top.

Repeat with remaining ice cream bases.

Return them to the freezer until ready to serve.

Now- if you don t have a torch, you will need to turn your oven to broil.

If you have a torch, get it ready.

Remove the meringues from the freezer, and dust the top of each one with the confectioners sugar in a fine mesh strainer.

If you are using a broiler, place the baking sheet under the broiler but leave the door open and watch.

You will only need about 30-45 seconds, just enough time for the meringue to turn golden brown.

Remove from the oven, place one in the center of each plate, and serve.

If you are using a torch, turn your torch to a med-low setting, and carefully, gently use the torch to brown the outside of the meringues.

Place one meringue on each plate, and serve.