Burnt Alaska Recipes

BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Make the ice cream cake: Brush a 3-quart metal bowl with vegetable oil; line with plastic wrap. Fill the bowl with scoops of the sorbet, vanilla ice cream and half of the chocolate ice cream, alternating small and large scoops to create a mosaic of colors and shapes. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the ice cream; press down to close the gaps between scoops and even out the surface. Remove the plastic wrap, sprinkle the ice cream with the wafer crumbs and re-cover with the plastic wrap, pressing gently. Freeze until set, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the wrap and spread the remaining chocolate ice cream in an even layer on top of the crumbs. Cut the pound cake into 1/2-inch-thick slices; completely cover the ice cream with the slices, trimming as needed (you'll use about two-thirds of the cake). Cover with fresh plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
• Make the meringue: Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until foamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar on high speed until the whites are glossy and hold stiff peaks.
• Remove the top layer of plastic wrap, then invert the cake onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. (If necessary, let the cake stand overturned until it slips out.) Remove the rest of the plastic wrap and cover the ice cream completely with the meringue, making the dome-shaped top slightly thicker than the sides. Form swirly peaks in the meringue using the back of a spoon. Freeze for at least 3 more hours.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Bake the cake until the meringue peaks are golden, about 4 minutes, or brown the meringue with a blowtorch. Let the cake soften at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Freeze any leftovers.

CREPES SUZETTE

Steps:

• For the crepes: In a blender, add the milk, eggs, melted butter and 1/4 cup water; blend to combine. Add the flour, sugar and salt and blend, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed, until smooth, about 1 minute. Cover and let the batter rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• Re-blend the batter just before cooking. Heat a nonstick crepe pan or 10-inch nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Coat the pan with a small amount of butter and allow it to froth and bubble. Ladle about 1/4 cup batter into the center of the pan and lift and swirl to spread the batter evenly over the bottom of the pan in a circular motion. When the crepe begins to set, the edges get a little lacy and the bottom gets a little color, about 1 minute, carefully flip with a spatula. Continue cooking until lightly browned on the second side, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a plate or sheet pan. Repeat until the batter is used up, stacking the crepes as made. (You should have about 8 crepes.)
• For the sauce: In a 10-inch skillet, bring the juice to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and continue to simmer until the juice reduces down by two-thirds, or until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Melt half the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add half the orange segments, half the zest strips and half the reduced orange juice and allow the orange segments to soften and the liquid to reduce, about 1 minute. Fold each crepe in half, and then in half again to form triangles. Add half the folded crepes to the sauce in a single layer, then allow them to be gently coated in the sauce. Flip and coat the other side. Add half the orange liqueur to the pan and allow it to reduce slightly. Pour half the cognac into the pan, then tip the pan to catch the flame and ignite the sauce. (Alternatively, use a long stick lighter to ignite the liquor.) Allow the flame to burn off the alcohol. Transfer the crepes to plates and serve with the Whipped Crème Fraîche. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients to make 2 more servings.
• Lightly whisk the crème fraîche and vanilla paste in a chilled bowl until the crème fraîche is slightly loosened up and the vanilla is incorporated. Chill until ready to use.

BURNT ALASKA

Steps:

• Put the rum, half-and-half, sherry and ice cream in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a rocks glass. Pipe the meringue on top of the drink, then use a kitchen blowtorch to brown the meringue.
• Place the whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
• In a heavy-bottomed saucepot, combine the cream of tartar, 1 cup of the sugar and 1/4 cup water and place over medium-high heat. Cook until the syrup registers 245 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
• While the syrup is cooking, whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and whip to stiff peaks.
• When the syrup reaches the correct temperature, turn the mixer to medium high and slowly pour the syrup down the side of the bowl (avoiding the whisk) into the meringue. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, then lower the speed to medium and mix until the meringue is cooled, 6 to 8 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract.
• Use the meringue to top a pie or for baked Alaska. Or bake into meringue cookies.