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Name: Baked Alaska
Prep time: 6 h 42 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 6 h 47 min
Yield: 1 dessert
Cuisine: french
Ingredients: 500 g Génoise (Genoa sponge); 150 g Sugar syrup; 30 g rum; 400 ml Vanilla ice cream; 400 ml blackcurrant sorbet; 3 egg whites; 150 g caster sugar; 30 g flaked almonds

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Baked Alaska

The name may be odd, but Baked Alaska is an elegant dessert. The core of this version is a "sandwich" of vanilla ice cream and blackcurrant sorbet between 2 layers of sponge soaked in rum-flavoured syrup.

This is then covered in a layer of meringue and put in a very hot oven for just a few minutes to brown the outside.

The magical and delicious effect comes from the contrast between the hot meringue and the cold ice cream and cake inside.

It is a little tricky to get right, but the main elements can be prepared several days in advance.

7,3494.4/5

Last modified on: November 12^th 2017

For 1 dessert, you will need:

1 : 500 g Génoise (Genoa sponge)
2 : 150 g Sugar syrup
3 : 30 g rum
4 : 400 ml Vanilla ice cream
5 : 400 ml blackcurrant sorbet
6 : 3 egg whites
7 : 150 g caster sugar
8 : 30 g flaked almonds
Total weight: 1,750 grams

Change for: 1 dessert 2 desserts 3 desserts

Measures: Metric USA British Metric weight Metric volumes

How long does it take?

Preparation	Resting	Cooking	Start to finish
1 hour 42 min.	5 hours	5 min.	6 hours 47 min.

Preservation: The sandwich of cake and ice cream will keep for several days/weeks in the freezer.

At what time?When will I finish if I start the recipe at a certain time?
When should I start for the recipe to be ready at a certain time?
Work this out...

Step by step recipe

1	The rum-soaked sponge Make 500 g Génoise (Genoa sponge) in a 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) tin or mould.	1 hour
2	Cut the cake in half lengthways. If necessary, trim off any crusty edges to neaten the sides. Sit the pieces on a baking sheet. Note: when cutting cake like this, a serrated knife makes the job easier.	5 min.
3	Prepare the soaking syrup by mixing 150 g Sugar syrup and 30 g rum in a bowl.	3 min.
4	Use a brush to soak both pieces of cake generously with the syrup. Put in the freezer for at least 2 hours.	2 hours
5	The ice creams Once the soaked cake is fully frozen, cover one with a layer of 400 ml Vanilla ice cream. Spread quickly, the flatten the top with a palette-knife. Put back in the freezer for an hour.	1 hour
6	After this, add 400 ml blackcurrant sorbet as a second layer and flatten the top as before.	5 min.
7	Place the second piece of soaked cake on top, then neaten the sides, adding a little more ice cream to fill any gaps. The "sandwich" should be a tidy rectangular block in 4 layers: soaked cake base, vanilla ice cream, blackcurrant sorbet and soaked cake lid.	5 min.
8	Sit this ice-cream sandwich in an oven-proof dish, cover with plastic film and return to the freezer one last time for at least 2 hours. The assembled block can be made in advance and kept like this for several days.	2 hours
9	Finish the dessert About 15 minutes before you intend serving, preheat the oven to 460°F (240°C). Take the ice-cream sandwich in its dish out of the freezer.	2 min.
10	Prepare a French-style meringue by beating 3 egg whites to stiff peak stage and folding in 150 g caster sugar at the end.	5 min.
11	Cover the ice-cream sandwich completely with an even layer of meringue, using a palette-knife once more, if possible, to smooth the surface.	5 min.
12	Put any leftover meringue into a forcing bag with a fluted nozzle and pipe decorations on the top and around the base. Finish by scattering a few flaked almonds over.	7 min.
13	Bake in the very hot oven for about 5 minutes, just enough to lightly brown the meringue and give it a thin crust. You can also finish the dessert under the grill or with a torch, like for a crème brulée.	5 min.
14	Serve a slice to each guest, either on its own or with a little real custard (crème anglaise).	5 min.

Remarks

Baked Alaska* can be varied with different types of cake and ice cream. Instead of genoa sponge, you could use provençal colombier for pentecost or almond macaroon cake, for example. The ice cream can be just one flavour or a combination, and you can replace the rum with a different liquor, such as Calvados (this would be a "Norman" version).

Though it is not essential, you can flambé the dessert (using rum) at the table just before serving - guaranteed to impress your guests!

*Translator's note: the French name is even more bizarre: "omelette norvégienne" or Norwegian omelette!

Nutritional information

Whole recipe
Calories	Proteins	Carbohydrates	Fats
11970	275 gr	1556 gr	506 gr
599 %	106 %	147 %	77 %

Per 100 g
Calories	Proteins	Carbohydrates	Fats
684	16 gr	89 gr	29 gr
34 %	6 %	8 %	4 %

% are calculated relative to a Recommended Dietary Intake or RDI of 2000 k-calories by day for a woman (change to a man).

How much will it cost?

For 1 dessert : 6.91 €

Note : These prices are only approximate.

Change currency:

Source: Home made.

More recipes?

This recipe use (among others)

	Génoise (Genoa sponge): You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Fraisier (French strawberry cake), Framboisier, Black Forest gateau, ... [All]
	Vanilla ice cream: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Profiteroles, Little caramelized peach tarts, Ice-cream Vacherin, Poire Belle Hélène, Peach Melba, ... [All]
	Blackcurrant sorbet: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Peach and blackcurrant coupe, Ice-cream Vacherin, ... [All]
	Sugar syrup: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Fruit salad, Peach and blackcurrant coupe, Brioche slices with almond cream, Raspberry sorbet, Passion fruit jellies, ... [All]

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