Daring Baker Challenge: Baked Alaska
August 27, 2010 | Print | E-mail | Filed under daring baker, ice cream, pumpin
The August 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Elissa of 17 and Baking. For the first time, The Daring Bakers partnered with Sugar High Fridays for a co-event and Elissa was the gracious hostess of both. Using the theme of beurre noisette, or browned butter, Elissa chose to challenge Daring Bakers to make a pound cake to be used in either a Baked Alaska or in Ice Cream Petit Fours. The sources for Elissa’s challenge were Gourmet magazine and David Lebovitz’s “The Perfect Scoop.”
Since I’ve never made (or eaten) Baked Alaska before, I decided that it would be my challenge for this month’s Daring Baker. However, even though it’s an ice cream dessert that is perfect for summer, I’ve been really getting in the mood for fall lately and had to do a little tweaking. Instead of vanilla ice cream, I used the pumpkin ice cream I made a couple days ago. And instead of brown butter pound cake, I made pumpkin bread. The final dessert was nutty, spicy, cool, and creamy…a perfect dessert to meld together the seasons.
For the ice cream: Pumpkin ice cream
Once the ice cream has been churned, line custard cups with plastic wrap so that plastic wrap covers the sides and hangs over the edge. Fill to the top with the ice cream, and then cover the top with the overhanging plastic wrap. Freeze for several hours or until solid.
For the bread: Pumpkin bread
For the meringue:
- 4 large egg whites
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt on high speed in an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Continue beating, adding in the sugar gradually, until stiff peaks form.
To assemble the baked Alaska, level the bread with a knife. Using the same custard cups you filled with ice cream, cut out pieces from the bread. Unwrap the ice cream domes and invert them on top of the bread.
Either pipe the meringue over the ice cream and bread, or smooth it over with a spatula so that none of the ice cream or bread is showing. Freeze for one hour or up to a day.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Bake the meringue-topped desserts on a baking sheet for 4-5 minutes until just beginning to brown.
Serve immediately.
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August 27th, 2010 at 9:19 am
wow, this looks great, awesome twist with the pumpkin. I’m longing for fall too (more specifically, winter), luckily it’s right around the corner!
August 27th, 2010 at 9:20 am
I have never had baked alaska but I really want one now that you made it with pumpkin!
August 27th, 2010 at 9:21 am
Ooh yummy! Great Baked Alaska and with that pumpkin ice cream this would be a great treat on Thanksgiving instead of the usual pie!
August 27th, 2010 at 10:03 am
Your’s is so beautiful, I love the colors and it is so dainty and pretty!
August 27th, 2010 at 10:05 am
This is by far the cutest most delicious looking cake ever! Nice job!!
August 27th, 2010 at 10:20 am
Gorgeous! I love the pumpkin bread idea!
August 27th, 2010 at 10:53 am
You BAKED!!! That’s a glorious Alaska!! So science works after all!!
))
I love your pumpkin version.. such a gorgeous color contrast with the meringue!
August 27th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
You did such a lovely job on this challenge! What a beautiful dessert!
August 27th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
This looks BEYOND delicious! Wow.
August 27th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
it looks gorgeous…congrats
August 27th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Great job! The pumpkin sounds yummy right about now. I can’t believe it’s already back around to that time of year. Nice job on the challenge!
August 27th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
I love pumpkin anything, and this is just gorgeous! Maybe I’ll do this for Thanksgiving. Fantastic job on this challenge!
August 27th, 2010 at 6:47 pm
Ooooooh!!! Its FALL season Baked Alaska!!! That’s a cool twist on it I like it!!!
August 27th, 2010 at 6:59 pm
I love it! Nice job!
August 27th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
I think I’m in heaven….
August 28th, 2010 at 7:02 am
I’ve never made on of these before and have always wanted too. Thanks for the recipe, I feel more confident now with your instructions!
August 28th, 2010 at 8:46 pm
Your baked alaska is beautiful! I did the petit fours but was not very successful with the chocolate glaze. I should buy myself a torch a try your baked alaska!
August 29th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
Beautiful job! I am sooooo not a baker and would never, ever attempt this but I can appreciate what it takes to make one. And pumpkin? Oh my – one of my favorite ice creams ever! Kudos!
August 29th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
Again, love pumpkin ice cream! What a great combination!
August 29th, 2010 at 8:32 pm
This looks wonderful. I love your fall version of Baked Alaska…beautiful job!
August 29th, 2010 at 10:37 pm
Helloooooo yummy
August 30th, 2010 at 8:20 am
How great! I have never seen a pumpkin baked alaska! Awesome!
August 30th, 2010 at 6:45 pm
What a fun take on baked Alaska! You did a fantastic job on this.
August 31st, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Your baked alaska is perfect – the colour of your pound cake is so devine and caramelly. Great job!
September 1st, 2010 at 9:45 pm
I am totally in the mood for fall… and ready to start using pumpkin!! Love your take on this Daring Bakers challenge. It is lovely!
September 1st, 2010 at 10:06 pm
Mmm, pumpkin… brilliant! Your baked alaska is adorable.
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Lovely! Pumpkin sounds perfect since fall is almost here
September 6th, 2010 at 9:10 pm
Look at YOU!!! This is the Baked Alaska of my DREAMS!!!