1960's Flashback: Baked Alaska

This is a real oldie, but goodie. Baked Alaska. I remember my Mama making this for us when we were children and also to serve at dinner parties. I thought it was the most elegant dessert I’d ever heard of and my Mama was the most elegant mama I knew because she knew how to make it. Actually, it is pretty cool to take a dessert with a nice warm meringue out of the oven, slice into it and find that cold ice cream in the middle. I still love it.

The Baked Alaskas you see in my photos are meant for two people to share. If you want to do individual ones, just use one slice of cake and half a “slice” of ice cream.  You’ll see what I mean as we go along.  Also, of course, you can put your own spin on this and use other combinations like chocolate cake with pistachio ice cream (looks like the earth and grass with clouds above as you cut into it) or a white cake with peach ice cream and meringue.  You can cut the cake out with a round cutter and top with a scoop of ice cream instead of a slice like I do. Yum, either way.

This is really simple. You can do this. Even if you don’t cook much. 

Here’s what you need:

For each serving:
1 slice pound cake
1 “slice” vanilla ice cream
1 egg white, at room temperature
1 tblsp. sugar

Why, yes, that is a bought, boxed cake in the picture. If I had homemade pound cake on hand, I’d use that. I didn’t on this day

Preheat the oven to 425.

Place the cake slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Cut the ice cream into approximately 1″ thick slices.  You’ll need to find ice cream that comes in a box rather than a tub to do this. They almost all come in the cardboard tubs now, it seems.  I find the box type in store brands mostly. It’s also easier if you can find a box that opens on the ends like they used to a hundred years ago. You remember that, right? When the ice cream boxes had those tabbed flaps on the ends?

Cover the cake slices with ice cream.  Place in the freezer while you prepare the meringue.

Beat egg whites at high speed until they form a stiff, but not dry, meringue. Add the sugar near the end of mixing time.

Remove cake and ice cream from freezer and cover each with meringue, making sure to seal the meringue all the way down to the parchment. Bake in a hot oven for 6-8 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. 

This is after 7 minutes in my oven. After about 5 minutes, start watching carefully and if you begin to see a little melted ice cream starting to flow out, take them out immediately. Remove from pan with a spatula and serve immediately.

Put on an old Beatles album and enjoy!

Download a printable copy here.

Tagged as: baked alaska, cake, cooking, Food, ice cream, meringue, recipes