Michelle Darmody: How to make the classic Baked Alaska — and mistakes to avoid

The most fun dessert from the '80s repertoire was a Baked Alaska. 

It is fussier to make than your average dessert, but when done well has a great novelty and wow factor. 

It gained a naff association with large banquet dining of questionable quality, but it holds its own when made with good ingredients.

The hot and cold elements are not only fun, but they also work together on many levels of taste and texture.

I think the sponge and ice cream are key, a nice homemade sponge with good soakage and quality ice cream elevates the dessert.

Baked Alaska was first concocted by a chef in New York in 1876, when the United States acquired the territory of Alaska, and I guess the snowy peaks of meringue have visual symbolism which echoed the ice-topped mountains of that region. 

The chef was originally French and most likely used Omelette á la Norvégienne, a similar French delicacy as inspiration.

As mentioned, it can be a little fiddly to make, so there are a few tips to ease the path, and many aspects can be created ahead of time and assembled before service. 

Raspberry and vanilla are the combination of flavours used here but there are plenty of options to experiment with.

Baked Alaska

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Raspberry and vanilla are the combination of flavours used here but there are plenty of options to experiment with.

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 60 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 10 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• for the sponge:

• 3 eggs, lightly whisked

• 90g caster sugar

• 90g self raising flour, sieved

• for the fruit compote:

• 250g raspberries

• 2 tsp honey

• for the meringue:

• 3 egg whites

• 170g caster sugar

• 1 tsp white malt vinegar

• 450g vanilla ice cream

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4 and line an 8-inch round tin with parchment.

2. Whisk the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy and a trail is left from the whisk.

3. Sieve the flour into the bowl and fold it in.

4. Scoop the mixture into the prepared tin.

5. Place in the centre of your oven and bake for about ten minutes or until it springs back when touched in the centre.

6. Remove from the tin when it is cool enough to handle and set it aside on a wire rack to cool completely.

7. To make the compote stew the raspberries gently for three minutes and then stir in the honey. Set aside to cool.

8. Place the sponge on a large plate or serving tray and coat in the compote. Allow it to soak in as you make the meringue.

9. To make the meringue, beat the egg whites until completely stiff and beat in the caster sugar and vinegar.

10. When you are ready to serve your Baked Alaska, place the ice cream on top of the sponge.

11. Heat your oven to 220ºC/gas mark 7.

12. Cover the ice cream and sponge completely with the meringue. Swirl it around.

13. Put the whole thing into the oven and bake for about 5 minutes until the tips of the meringue are golden.

14. Serve straight away.

Baker's Tips

• When whisking your egg whites for the meringue, ensure all of your equipment is clean and free from oil and grease, which will inhibit the egg whites rising. Also, it is best to ensure no yolk has gotten into the egg white. It helps to break and separate the eggs one at a time to make sure that you do not get yolk in the whites.
• When ready, the meringue mixture should be smooth and thick, and form peaks easily.
• You can add a layer of raspberry jam to the sponge as well as the compote if you wish.
• The assembly stage should be quick and smooth, so it is good to have the ice cream ready. Pre-cut ice cream to fit the size of the sponge and then put it back into the freezer until you need it. Another way to ensure it covers and sits well on the sponge is to line the sponge tin the day before, soften the ice cream and spread into the tin. Place the tin into the freezer. When the ice cream has firmed up, remove from the tin, leaving the disc of ice cream ready for easy assembly.
• One of the keys to the success of this dessert is keeping the ice cream as cold as possible. The ice cream is protected from melting by the insulating properties of the little bubbles of trapped air in the meringue. Ensure the meringue covers the other ingredients completely. If they are not fully covered, heat will get into the centre and melt the ice cream.
• When scorching the meringue, basically turn up your oven as high as it will go. Most ovens stop at 220ºC but yours may go a little higher. Remove all trays and wire racks from your oven ahead of time. You can use a kitchen blow torch instead if you have one. Using either method you should have a golden-tipped, crispy outer layer.

Three delicious variations

Chocolate and cherry

Add 15g of cocoa powder to 75g self-raising flour for the sponge. 

I often use pre-made maraschino cherries that I source in my local Italian shop.

If you do not have access to these, you can stew frozen or fresh cherries to make a compote, add little sugar as you are stewing.

Coffee

Soak the sponge in a combination of coffee liqueur and strong espresso.

This dessert is not for the faint-hearted. It is a caffeine and alcohol kick.

You can use coffee ice cream as well for more intensity.

Raspberry and chocolate

In place of the sponge, cut a slab of chocolate brownie then top it with a layer of raspberry jam and then a block of raspberry ice cream. 

Swirl the meringue on top and continue to bake as per the recipe.