Mini Chocolate Rasperry Baked Alaskas Recipes

RASPBERRY BAKED ALASKA

Steps:

• Slice the cake into six 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut six (2 1/2-inch) circles--one from each slice--with an unfluted round cookie cutter, discarding the scraps. (You can also use a small knife.) Place the cake rounds 2 inches apart on a flat dish that will fit in your freezer.
• Soften the sorbet and ice cream just enough to be able to scoop them with a standard 2 1/4-inch-diameter ice cream scoop (15 to 30 seconds in the microwave works). Fill half the scoop with raspberry sorbet and the rest of the scoop with vanilla ice cream and place an ice cream ball, flat side down, in the middle of each cake round. Freeze for at least 30 minutes, until the ice cream is very hard.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• To make the Swiss meringue, place the egg whites and sugar in a heat-proof glass bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk the mixture almost constantly, until it reaches 120 degrees F on a candy thermometer and the sugar has dissolved. Pour the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt and beat on medium speed for one minute, then on high speed for 5 minutes, until the egg whites form stiff, glossy peaks.
• Transfer the cake rounds and ice cream to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Working quickly, spread the meringue with a spoon or small spatula, making lots of peaks all over with the back of the spoon. (You can also use a pastry bag fitted with a large fluted tip and pipe the meringue thickly around each ball of ice cream and cake.) Be sure all of the ice cream is covered with meringue. Bake for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, until the edges of the meringues are browned, turning the pan once to brown evenly. Transfer to dessert plates, drizzle Fresh Raspberry Sauce around each baked Alaska, and serve immediately.
• Place the raspberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and the framboise into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth. Pour into a container and chill. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to one week.

INDIVIDUAL CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY BAKED ALASKAS

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan, then line bottom with wax paper and butter paper.
• Melt chocolate and butter in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring, until smooth. Remove bowl from pan and whisk 3/4 cup sugar into chocolate mixture. Whisk in whole eggs and salt, then sift cocoa over and whisk until just combined.
• Pour batter into baking pan, spreading evenly, and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then invert onto rack and cool completely.
• Cut cake into 6 equal pieces, then arrange 1 piece in each gratin dish, trimming to fit. Top each piece of cake with a large scoop of ice cream (about 1/2 cup), then freeze, covered, just until ice cream is hard, about 25 minutes (do not let ice cream become rock hard unless making ahead - see cooks' note, below).
• Make meringue just before serving:
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Beat egg whites and a pinch of salt with an electric mixer until they just hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar a little at a time, beating at high speed, and continue beating until whites just hold stiff, glossy peaks, about 5 minutes in a standing mixer or about 12 minutes with a handheld.
• Remove gratin dishes from freezer and mound meringue over ice cream and cake, spreading to edge of gratin dish. Bake on a baking sheet in middle of oven until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Serve immediately.

MINI CHOCOLATE RASPERRY BAKED ALASKAS

Steps:

• For the Cake: Heat the oven at 350 degrees F. Break chocolate into pieces. Boil water and 4 ounces of sugar. Remove from heat. Add the chocolate, then butter and stir. Whip the eggs and 2 ounces of sugar with mixer just until it's fluffy. Add chocolate to the egg mixture. Line a sheet pan with parchment and pour batter in. Bake until cake is just firm yet still spongy in the middle. Allow cake to cool. Keep in refrigerator. Invert cake onto half sheet pan and peel away the parchment. Using a ring mold (about 2 inches in diameter) cut disks out of the cake. Keep disks in the refrigerator. For the Meringue: Place egg whites in a mixer bowl. Boil the corn syrup, sugar and water in a saucepan using a candy thermometer. When the syrup reaches 240 degrees F remove it from heat. Turn the mixer on to medium and pour the syrup over the egg whites. Whip until the mixture cools. Keep meringue cool in the refrigerator. Assemble: Spoon the meringue into a pastry bag. Center a chocolate cake disk on individual serving dishes. Top with a small scoop of raspberry sorbet. Generously pipe meringue around the cake and ice cream, starting at the outer edge of the cake, and working your way up around the sorbet to a dramatic peak. Once all plates have meringue, use a mini blowtorch to lightly carmelize the meringue (may be found at most cooking supply stores). Garnish plate with fresh raspberries and chocolate shavings. Serve before your Alaska begins to melt!

MINI NEAPOLITAN BAKED ALASKAS

Steps:

• Flatten muffin liners; place on a baking sheet. Place a wafer on each. Scoop 1/4 cup of ice cream onto each wafer; freeze., Meanwhile, in a small heavy saucepan, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar; beat on low speed with a portable mixer for 1 minute. Continue beating over low heat until mixture reaches 160°, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat; add vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes., Remove baking sheet from freezer; immediately spread meringue over ice cream, sealing to edges of wafers. Broil 4-6 in. from the heat for 1-2 minutes or until meringues are lightly browned. Serve immediately.

MINI BROWNIE BAKED ALASKAS

Steps:

• Spray 4 (6-oz) custard cups with cooking spray. Spoon 1/4 cup sherbet into each cup, pressing firmly up sides of cups. Scoop 1/3 cup ice cream onto raspberry layer in each cup, spreading to edge and pressing firmly. Cover surface with plastic wrap. Freeze at least 2 hours or until firm.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch square pan with cooking spray; line with waxed paper. Grease waxed paper with shortening; lightly sprinkle with cocoa.
• In large microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and butter uncovered on Medium (50%) 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring after 30 seconds, and then at 15-second intervals; stir until smooth. Stir in 1 1/3 cups of the sugar with whisk. Add whole eggs, one at a time, stirring just until blended after each addition. Gradually add flour, baking powder and salt, stirring with whisk just until blended. Stir in 2 teaspoons of the vanilla. Spread batter in pan.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until set. Cool 5 to 10 minutes on cooling rack. Run small metal spatula around edge of pan to loosen brownie. Invert pan on cooling rack; remove pan and waxed paper. Cool completely, about 40 minutes.
• Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper. Using 3 1/4-inch cutter, cut out 4 brownie rounds. Place rounds on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Remove ice cream cups from freezer. Run small metal spatula around edge of each cup to loosen ice cream. Immediately turn each cup upside down onto a brownie round; remove cups. Freeze ice cream-topped brownies just until ready to use.
• Heat oven to 450°F. In small deep bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and remaining 1/4 teaspoon vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Do not underbeat.
• Using offset spatula, spread meringue over ice cream-topped brownies, carefully sealing meringue to bottom edge of brownie. Bake 3 to 4 minutes or until browned. Serve immediately.