Chocolate Raspberry Baked Alaska Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Amaretto

by: Couldn't Be Parve

June14,2011

4

3 Ratings

  • Serves 12-16
Author Notes

Baked Alaska is the perfect entertaining dessert. It is an elegant contrast in flavors and textures that can be made almost entirely in advance. I use a homemade non-dairy raspberry parfait that can be made without an ice cream maker but feel free to replace it with two quarts of your favorite ice cream instead. —Couldn't Be Parve

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • Brownie Layer
  • Scant ½ cup vegetable oil (3.25 oz)
  • 1 cupsugar
  • 2 tablespoonsdark brown sugar
  • 3/4 cupgood quality unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoonsalt
  • 1/4 cupamaretto
  • 2 teaspoonsvanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cupalmond flour/almond meal
  • 1/3 cupchocolate chips, melted
  • Raspberry Layer and Meringue
  • For the Raspberry Parfait
  • 2 12-oz bags frozen raspberries, thawed with juices
  • 8 large egg yolks
  • 3/4 cupsugar
  • 2/3 cupamaretto
  • For the Meringue
  • 8 large egg whites (these will not be fully cooked in this recipe so if that is of concern use pasteurized egg whites)
  • 2 cupssugar
Directions
  1. Brownie Layer
  2. Preheat the oven to 325. Line a 9×9 square pan with parchment or foil, leaving an overhang on two sides. Spray the pan liberally with cooking spray. Set aside
  3. Combine the oil, sugars, cocoa, amaretto, salt and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the almond flour and beat at high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in the melted chocolate.
  4. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until a tester near the middle of the pan comes out with lots of moist crumbs. They will seem underdone, that is correct. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan.
  5. Remove the browines from pan by lifting them out with the parchment/foil overhang. Cut the brownie in half into two 9 x 4.5 inch pieces. Set aside. ?(can be made up to two days in advance, further if the brownies are frozen)
  1. Raspberry Layer and Meringue
  2. To make the raspberry layer:
  3. Line 2 9 x 4.5 inch loaf pans with plastic wrap or parchment paper and set aside. (If using ice cream instead of the raspberry parfait skip to step 10)
  4. Puree the berries in food processor. Strain through a sieve set over large measuring cup, pressing in solids in strainer to extract as much puree as possible. Alternatively, pass the raspberries through a food mill to remove the seeds. Cover puree and chill until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
  5. Combine egg yolks, amaretto and sugar in a medium metal bowl. Set over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Whisk constantly until thick and billowy and candy thermometer registers 160, about 7 minutes. (If you do not have a candy thermometer it should feel hot to the touch)
  6. Remove bowl from water. Add 1 ¾ cup cold berry puree. Using an electric mixer beat mixture until cool, about 7 minutes.
  7. Pour raspberry mixture into prepared baking pans. (It using ice cream soften it slightly and then spread it into an even layer in the pans) Top each pan with one piece of the brownie. Cover, freeze until firm, at least 6 hours.
  8. To Make the Meringue
  9. Place the egg whites and sugar in the metal bowl of an electric mixer. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch, 2-3 minutes. Transfer bowl to the mixer and whip (using the whisk attachment) until the mixture holds a stiff peak. (Depending on the size of the mixing bowl this may need to be done in two batches)
  10. Remove one of the loaf pans from the freezer. Invert it onto a cookie sheet and remove the plastic wrap. Working quickly, spread ½ the meringue on the frozen loaf, making sure to cover it completely and seal the edges. Return it to the freezer and repeat with the second loaf. (The baked Alaskas can be made up to this point a day ahead. Keep frozen until ready to serve.)
  11. Right before serving remove the baked Alaskas from the freezer. Place them under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until the outsides are lightly toasted. This can also be done using a kitchen torch. Serve immediately.
  12. Note: In order to make individual baked Alaskas like shown in the pictures double the brownie and meringue recipes. Use 2.5-3 inch dessert rings to cut out circles in the brownie. Leave the brownie in the dessert ring and fill to the top with the raspberry filling. Once frozen remove the rings and carefully coat each dessert with the meringue. Makes approximately 12 (depending on the size of the dessert rings).

Tags:

  • Ice Cream/Frozen Desserts
  • American
  • Raspberry
  • Chocolate
  • Amaretto
  • Fruit
  • Gluten-Free
  • Dessert
Contest Entries
  • Your Best Gluten-Free Baked Good
  • Your Best Raspberries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

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6 Reviews

macarena December 19, 2013

is it necessary to make swiss meringue in order to freeze it first?

Couldn't B. December 19, 2013

It is the meringue that makes it a baked Alaska. I'm not sure I quite understand the question. If you clarify what you meant I would be happy to help figure it out.

macarena December 19, 2013

this recipe, unlike others, allows you to freeze the entire dessert before putting it in the oven... so, my question is, if you just use italian meringue, without placing the bowl over simmering water, can you freeze ir ahead of time as well?

Beautiful, M. July 7, 2011

Perfect!

singing_baker July 5, 2011

this looks great for a summer dinner party! so impressive looking

Couldn't B. July 5, 2011

Thank you very much.

Chocolate Raspberry Baked Alaska Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is baked Alaska dessert made of? ›

Baked Alaska is an old-school dessert that consists of a layer of cake, a frozen ice cream center, and a coating of toasted marshmallowy meringue. It's essentially a fancy version of an ice cream cake, and though it is, admittedly, fussier to make than your average dessert, it's totally worth it for that wow-factor.

What is the outer layer on a bombe alaska dessert? ›

baked Alaska, dessert of American origin that consists of ice cream layered between a slice of sponge cake and a covering of meringue, which is baked quickly at high heat until lightly browned.

Is raspberry and chocolate good? ›

Yes, raspberry and milk chocolate are often paired together in desserts and confections. The tartness of the raspberry complements the sweetness of the milk chocolate, creating a delicious flavor combination.

Why is it called baked Alaska? ›

Why is it called Baked Alaska? The unique nickname 'Baked Alaska' was given to the dessert in 1867 at a Creole restaurant in New Orleans called Antoine's. The restaurant's chef, Antoine, named the dish Baked Alaska to honour of the United States acquisition of Alaska from the Russian Empire earlier that year.

What is the original Baked Alaska? ›

What's in a name? We do know Ranhofer's original version of Baked Alaska (aka Alaska, Florida) featured a spice cake base topped with banana ice cream all wrapped up in a toasted meringue shell, according to Untapped New York.

Why does the ice cream not melt in Baked Alaska? ›

Baked Alaska is a baked dessert consisting of cake, ice cream, and meringue. So how does the ice cream not melt during the baking process? The meringue insulates it from the heat. The treat is baked in a hot oven for a few minutes or just long enough to firm and brown the meringue.

What is the difference between baked Alaska and bombe Alaska? ›

What is the difference between bombe Alaska and baked Alaska? A bombe Alaska is coated with hot, high-proof rum before serving and set alight or flambéed. A baked Alaska is browned using a torch or the broiler setting in an oven.

How does ice cream stay cold in a baked Alaska? ›

The sugar strengthens the foam. Sponge cake also contains a lot of air. Air is a good thermal insulator – it is a poor conductor of heat. As you bake the meringue, the ice cream is insulated by both the meringue and the sponge, so the heat from the oven does not have time to reach it.

What is the most unhealthy chocolate? ›

White chocolate not only has more saturated fat than any other type of chocolate, but lacks the healthy phytochemicals found in cocoa and dark chocolate.

What does raspberry do to your body? ›

Red Raspberries contain strong antioxidants such as Vitamin C, quercetin and gallic acid that fight against cancer, heart and circulatory disease and age-related decline. They are high in ellagic acid, a known chemopreventative, and have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Why does chocolate and raspberry go together? ›

Berries: The tartness of berries such as raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries complements the richness of dark chocolate, balancing out its intense flavours.

Has Baked Alaska been discontinued? ›

Now, four years later, Baked Alaska will return exclusively to Ben & Jerry's nationwide Scoop Shops so fans can enjoy being reunited with their favourite flavour scooped in a crunchy waffle cone or swirly sundae!

Why is the Baked Alaska so difficult? ›

They're not as difficult to make when all of the layers are chilled, but what makes Baked Alaska seem impossible is that the whole dessert goes into the oven — and yet, when sliced, reveals a still-frozen interior of ice cream.

What is the difference between Baked Alaska and bomb Alaska? ›

What is the difference between bombe Alaska and baked Alaska? A bombe Alaska is coated with hot, high-proof rum before serving and set alight or flambéed. A baked Alaska is browned using a torch or the broiler setting in an oven.

What does a Baked Alaska taste like? ›

After my first taste of Baked Alaska, I became an instant fan. The combination of slightly chewy meringue, cold ice cream and soft pound cake was all my favorite dessert sensations in one.

How does ice cream stay cold in Baked Alaska? ›

As you bake the meringue, the ice cream is insulated by both the meringue and the sponge, so the heat from the oven does not have time to reach it. Vicky Wong is Chemistry editor of Catalyst. Beaten eggs contain lots of tiny air bubbles which insulate the ice cream.

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