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Waiter, there’s something in my… individual baked Alaska!

by Jeanne Horak on May 4, 2009 24 Comments in Dessert, Eggs, Waiter, there's something in my...

IndividualBakedAlaska © J Horak-Druiff 2009

You know how there are some things that you simply never cook because, truth be told, you are too terrified to try them?

For some, it is any sort of baking with yeast that makes their terror rise.  For others, it’s the dreaded soufflé that makes their face fall flat.  Or maybe things like Bearnaise or Hollandaise sauce that make you want to split and never come back.

Or maybe it’s the frankly impossible-sounding feat of baking ice cream in a meringue cake.

When I was a little girl growing up in the 1970s, probably only seven or eight years old, my mom bought me my first cookbook.  It was the “My Learn to Cook Book” and it was a sheer delight.  The recipes were all presented by a cartoon cat who would give you useful hints (for example, with the grilled cheese sandwich recipe, he pipes up:  “Be careful – hot cheese is really HOT!”), and many of them could be made with minimal adult assistance.  I spent many afternoons making the mint creams, or the crispy crackolets (chocolate cornflake clusters).

But the recipe in the book that fascinated me the most, and which I never attempted, was baked Alaska.  I mean, how could it be possible to bake ice cream?  It seemed to me to be the height of sophistication finesse – some sort of culinary Holy Grail, unknowable and unattainable for the likes of me.

BakedAlaskaTopWeb

BakedAlaskaSideWeb

But sometime in 2001, I watched a friend of mine put one together, seemingly with no great effort but with a huge response from the dinner guests.  I was intrigued.  I made my first baked Alaska for Christmas in 2001 to great critical acclaim from my family (and Nick!).  I’d like to be able to say I’ve made it regularly since then but, alas, this would be a lie.  It’s not the kind of dessert where you can keep the leftovers, so it’s less than ideal for when it’s only me and Nick at home.  And making it for guests would make me feel as if I had to serve it as some sort of ironic, post-modern statement (preferably preceded by avocado Ritz and steak Diane!).

However… given that the theme for this month’s Waiter, There’s Something in My… event was retro classics, how could I resist??  And to get around the problem of leftovers, I made just two individual portions, rather than a party-size cake.  Retro perfection!

There is some debate as to the origins of the baked Alaska recipe.  One theory is that it was passed on to a Parisian chef by a visitng Chinese delegation in the mid-19th century, although this recipe consisted of ice cream baked inside a pastry crust.  The version that became popular in the 1960s and 1970s consists of a layer of sponge cake topped with a layer of fruit or jam and ice cream, all encased in meringue which is baked at a high temperature until the meringue is just set.   The name is attributed to the chef at Delmonico’s Restaurant in New York City, who in 1876 named the dish in honour of the newly-acquired territory of Alaska.   It attained the height of its popularity in the 1970s, but even today it is a favourite for the final dinner on ocean cruise liners, when a liine of waiters will bring baked Alaskas bristling with sparklers into the dining room to gasps of delight from the passengers.

 

BakedAlaskaScoopWeb

INDIVIDUAL BAKED ALASKAS WITH COINTREAU & MARMALADE (serves 2)

Ingredients

2 pieces of plain sponge/Madeira cake
good vanilla ice cream
2 Tbsp Cointreau
2 large egg whites at room temperature
3 Tbsp caster sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp marmalade
2 tsp flaked almonds

Method

At least 4 hours before you want to serve your Alaskas, remove the tub of vanilla ice cream from the freezer and allow to defrost until the ice cream is the consistency of thick whipped cream.  Fill two small ramekins with the melted ice cream, cover with clingfilm and freeze until the ice cream is hard again.

Pre-heat the oven to 220C.

Cut two circles of sponge cake of the same or slightly larger diameter than the ice cream ramekins. You can either use a round cookie cutter or another identical ramekin to get the size right.  The cake circles need to be about an inch thick.

Place the cake circles on oven-proof plates (or, in my case, in loose-bottomed mini quiche tins).  Drizzle each circle with a teaspoon of Cointreau and smear 1 tsp of marmalade on top of the cake.

Remove the frozen ramekins of ice cream from the freezer.  Dip the base of each into a bowl of hot water, then run a knife along the circumference to loosen the ice cream.  Invert above the cake circles – the ice cream should come loose with a gentle tap on the base of the ramekin (and possibly some more persuasion with a knife around the circumference!).  Repeat with the second ice cream, then return the ice cream and cake to the freezer while you prepare the meringue.

Whisk the egg whites (or use an electric mixer) until stiff, then add the salt, cream of tartar and the sugar (gradually!).  Continue to whisk until you have a thick, glossy mixture than will hold stiff peaks.  NB – this is very important, otherwise you will have your meringue sliding off the ice cream rather than insulating it!

Remove the ice cream and cake from the freezer and pile the meringue mix on the top and sides of the cake and ice cream.  Make sure that the cake and ice cream are completely sealed by the meringue and that there are no gaps anywhere, especially around the base.

Sprinkle the flaked almonds on top of the meringue and place in the pre-heated oven for about 6 minutes.  NB – watch them carefully as all you really need is for the meringue to set and brown slightly.  If you leave them in for too long, the meringue will burn on top and the ice cream will melt!

Remove when done and serve immediately.

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  1. Lynda says

    May 5, 2009 at 12:14 am

    This sounds delicious, especially with the addition of the marmalade and cointreau. I have always wanted to make a Baked Alaska and passed it by for other desserts – no longer!

    Reply
  2. Elyse says

    May 5, 2009 at 7:25 am

    Ooo, cointreau marmalade. How fancy! Your baked Alaskas look so fabulous. So glad you decided to pull this recipe out for the retro throwback! I really need to try this recipe soon!

    Reply
  3. Charlotte says

    May 5, 2009 at 7:26 am

    OMG, I had the exact same cookbook! And all I ever wanted was to try the baked Alaska, and I STILL haven’t. I am inspired to hear it is not too difficult.

    Reply
  4. meeta says

    May 5, 2009 at 7:29 am

    i so wanted to take part in this – but in between packing boxes for the move and organizing our vow renewing ceremony i was overwhelmed. looks grand jeanne – love baked alaska and honestly i have never made it at home always enjoyed elsewhere! i think i should give this a go.

    Reply
  5. Hardspear says

    May 5, 2009 at 7:29 am

    I have had so much fun doing this post on my blog! Your alaskas looks delicious and beautiful. I once made a version from Roald Dahl’s Revolting recipes called “Hot Ice-Cream for cold days. This recipe called for chopped bits of stem ginger in syrup to be mixed with the meringue. Gives a nice zing to the dessert.

    Reply
  6. Kit says

    May 5, 2009 at 8:29 am

    I had that book too!! I made the peppermint creams and was also incredulous and fascinated by that baked alaska. I’ve never ever made it, but maybe one of these days I will, once I’ve got the hang of whisking meringue till it’s stiff enough!
    I can’t believe we both grew up cooking from the same book! I wonder where my copy is now…

    Reply
  7. nina says

    May 5, 2009 at 9:39 am

    Looks delicious and really a retro dish!!! It was a favorite in our house too!!! Sorry I missed the event…my life is just in a bit of a spin at the moment!!!

    Reply
  8. johanna says

    May 5, 2009 at 11:00 am

    hey i remember that from my childhood too! and remember the one we had at club gascon with the wonderful armagnac prunes on the bottom for a rather adult version of it?
    i believe that the problem is today’s ice cream – back when my mum used to make them, the logs of vanilla ice cream were stone hard, these days all you get is soft scoop that melts the minute you open the freezer! i have been too scared to make them for that very reason…

    Reply
  9. Kerri says

    May 5, 2009 at 11:30 am

    That looks delicious, an unusual twist on a classic. I say classic but I’ve never actually eaten baked alaska before, let alone cooked it.

    Reply
  10. Johanna says

    May 5, 2009 at 12:16 pm

    These look so cute – I love the idea of baked alaska but also am scared of it – maybe because I associate it with a fiendish plot in batman which I can’t remember in much detail – my mum made it recently and I think she used pannettone which was delicious – I like the idea of a scaled down recipe for two

    Reply
  11. grace says

    May 5, 2009 at 3:10 pm

    what’s even more pathetic than my never having attempted to make baked alaska is the fact that i’ve never even tasted it! my stars, yours is beautiful, and the presence of that marmalade makes it even more appealing. bravo!

    Reply
  12. Diane Schupbach says

    May 5, 2009 at 3:43 pm

    Oh, Jeanne–
    Our semi-parallel lives are sometimes quite creepy! My Learn to Cook Book was MY first cookbook, too! The Twice-baked Potatoes were a hit at our house, while Ox-eyed Eggs, not so much. I still have the dinged-up treasure on my cook book bookshelf in my kitchen. Thanks for the flash back!
    Diane
    PS Your Baked Alaskas look gorgeous!

    Reply
  13. Joan Nova says

    May 5, 2009 at 3:44 pm

    I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to find your blog, especially since we’re BloggerAid sisters, but I’m here now and I’m really impressed.,,so you’ve got a new subscriber!

    Reply
  14. Cookin' Canuck says

    May 5, 2009 at 4:21 pm

    Good for you, you brave woman! Baked Alaska also brings back memories of my childhood. It was one of those desserts made purely of legend. That is, until I had one at an upscale restaurant on my 18th birthday. Ice cream, meringue…I was hooked! Thanks for bringing back those memories.
    http://www.cookincanuck.com

    Reply
  15. Susan from Food Blogga says

    May 5, 2009 at 4:56 pm

    Woo-hoo! You conquered your baked Alaska fears beautifully, Jeanne. 🙂

    Reply
  16. courtney says

    May 5, 2009 at 5:29 pm

    I so wanted to eneter this and had the perfect recipe, which I wont be posting until this week , so I missed your deadline. I plan to get it up ny tomorrow if it isnt to late. I have never made this, but need to give it a try.

    Reply
  17. Happy Cook says

    May 5, 2009 at 5:53 pm

    I have heard so much about this dish, but never had them, and you are now tempting me to make this super delicious looking dessert.

    Reply
  18. Paula Maack says

    May 5, 2009 at 7:18 pm

    Oh, yum!!! How perfect! I love the story, too.
    I always think of the 70s as a big celebration of Hawaii being added as a state, with all of the Rumaki, pineapple and coconut dishes, Tiki cocktails, and Luau parties, but I never put the two and two together to come up with the reason for the Baked Alaska. What a cool dessert homage!
    I love the individual portions, too – brilliant! And, the fact that you added orange elements. Mmmmm… Kinda like a 50/50 bar. You had me at Cointreau. 🙂
    I can’t wait to try this!!
    Cheers,
    ~ Paula

    Reply
  19. Linda says

    May 5, 2009 at 8:41 pm

    I also had the same cookbook!! A child of the eighties, my mom bought it second hand at a fete. It is still sitting in the cupboard at my parents’ house, full of food splodges like a good cookbook should be. My favourite recipe was the apple snow, which I seem to remember consisted of apples, egg whites and sugar… This time around my vote goes to the baked alaska!

    Reply
  20. Bron says

    May 6, 2009 at 5:39 am

    Oh it’s been so long since I made one of these… so so long. You have me craving one…NOW! and the additions of marmalade and Cointreau = genius!

    Reply
  21. Marietjie says

    May 7, 2009 at 10:51 am

    Your baked Alaska looks fantastic Jeanne!
    I had that book too – but sadly do not have it any longer. If you still have the book, could I ask you to look a recipe up and copy for me please? If I remember right, it was in that book – but I might be mistaken. There was a small childrens cookery book in SARIE magazine insert as well and it might have been in there. The recipe is called Sarina se koekies”. Does it sound familiar? I made it a few times when I was small and it brings back memories
    Many thanks in advance

    Reply
  22. Manggy says

    May 8, 2009 at 8:46 am

    I would have guessed that was created when one attempted a very courageous take on a classic vacherin 🙂 I’ve never had one, though. I’m too afraid the ice cream will melt in this heat even without the oven! Supposedly it’s not that hard to get it right because air is a poor conductor of heat, and the meringue surrounding the ice cream provides enough insulation. Now you are tempting me to finally give it a shot! 🙂

    Reply
  23. Angela@SpinachTiger says

    May 9, 2009 at 6:31 am

    I love retro dishes. DId someone say steak diane? I grew up going to really nice restaurants, with waiters that were lifers, and wore gold jackets. Retro food takes me back. We would start with me having a shirley temple and my grandmother having manhattans, then oysters rockefeller, beef wellington and yes baked alaska. I wish I would have seen this challenge. Great fun! I love your blog.

    Reply
  24. Sophie says

    May 22, 2009 at 8:14 pm

    Sounds divine! It came out beautifully.

    Reply
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Ready for a wine tasting? 🍷 [Press trip] Back Ready for a wine tasting? 🍷

[Press trip] Back before Covid put our lives on hold, I spent a few days in the Languedoc-Rousillon wine region of France learning about (and tasting!) Pays d'Oc IGP wines. 

Want to learn more about the region's wines? Read on, swipe through the images (remember to  bookmark this post to refer back to later) - and click the live link in my bio for the full blog post! 

🍷 The Languedoc-Rousillon region is the largest wine producing region in the world, and produces about a third of all French wine. Pays d'Oc IGP is a classification region within Languedoc-Rousillon, with vineyards that take up over half the total vineyard area in the Languedoc-Rousillon region. Pays d'OC IGP wines account for about 20% of the total of all French wine produced.

🍷IGP stands for Indication Geographique Protegée, meaning it is a protected indication of origin and wines must be made only from approved grape varieties that must be grown entirely within the region's geographic boundaries.

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🍷 There are 58 grape varieties that are allowed to be planted in the region but the Pays d'Oc IGP varietal wines to watch out for include Chardonnay, Rolle (another name for Vermentino) and Viognier among the whites; and Syrah, Mourvedre and Pinot Noir among the reds.

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First 📸: @everyglassmatters
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These are essentially reminders rather than goals - presets, if you like, for the year ahead. I keep them in a handwritten list next to my computer and when I don't know how to react to something or how to shake a mood, I read them and there is usually an answer in there somewhere. 

Given the bruising year last year was, and how 2021 has so far proven itself to be not much better, I really wanted to add something practical to this year's list to lift my spirits on days when I am down. And for that I borrowed shamelessly from the wonderful @gretchenrubin:

🌈  ACT THE WAY YOU WANT TO FEEL 🌈

And this photo is a reminder of how I want to feel on so, so many levels: hanging out with friends; dancing in the sunshine; wearing my favourite red dress; travelling (this was in Carouge, Switzerland); and surrounded by a rainbow of colour. I can't travel and I can't see friends, but I can dance in my kitchen, singing at the top of my voice wearing my brightest clothes. 

What strategies do you use to lift your spirits? I'd love to hear! 

📸 by @tasteofsavoie
If you, like me, are mssing your Pret-a- Manger Bi If you, like me, are mssing your Pret-a- Manger Bircher muesli during lockdown, you will want to bookmark this post right now! 🔖

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2 small apples
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Honey
Pomegranate rails

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When ready to serve, grate the apples and mix them in with the oats and yoghurt (add a little extra milk to loosen if needed). Stir in honey to taste and serve topped with pomegranate arils and pistachios. Full recipe and more photos are available now on the blog - click the live link in my profile.

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Onwards and upwards!
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So how was your Christmas day yesterday? In this So how was your Christmas day yesterday? 

In this year that has been so hard on so many people,  I hope you had somebody to share it with; enough food to feel replete; and warm place to eat. I know it was  not the Christmas that we all wanted, but it was definitely the Christmas that reminded us to count our blessings. 

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For 4 people you need:
* 500g trimmed Brussels sprouts 
* 75g chorizo, chopped
* 15g hazelnuts
* sprig of thyme
* vegetable oil

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Halve each sprout lengthways and toss the sprouts in enough oil to lightly coat. Arrange on a baking sheet, cut side down. Roast for 15 mins or until outer leaves start to brown, then turn over and roast till cut sides just start to colour (about 10 mins). 

2. While the sprouts are roasting,  toast the hazelnuts in a large dry pan over medium heat till light brown, remove and roughly crush.

3. In the same pan, fry the chorizo  till it starts to release its oil, then remove sprouts from the oven and add to pan. Mix well.

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But as the quote says, think dark thoughts and your soul ends up dark. So I have chosen to dye my soul in the bright colours of things I am grateful for instead: a rewarding job that i can do remotely; amazing friends to Zoom or call around the world; a house of my own that I love; a beautiful running route minutes from my door; and a strong, healthy body.

What colour are you dyeing your soul in this Christmas?

🎄🎄🎄
If you've visited London in the last 7 years then If you've visited London in the last 7 years then you cannot have failed to see The Shard - a striking assymetrical architectural "shard of glass" building dominating the skyline south of London Bridge. 

At 800ft and 95 floors, it is the tallest building in the UK and western Europe and houses 26 floors of office space, 3 floors of restaurants, 19 floors of 5-star Shangri-La hotel, 13 floors of residential apartments, and London's highest public viewing gallery, @shardview, comprising the 68th, 69th and 72nd floors.

The viewing gallery has now reopened after the Covid-19 lockdown and here are my 6 top tips for visitors:

🏙 Book in advance via the View From The Shard website. Walk-ins are not currently accepted. Although you can make a same day booking via the website, tickets are up to 35%  cheaper if you book 14 or more days in advance. For example, a standard adult ticket costs an eye-watering £34, but can go down to £22 if booked in advance.

🏙 Entry is timed and you have 30 mins after your allocated time to arrive or risk losing your slot. Security procedures take a while, so arrive 15 mins or so before your allocated slot.

🏙 Once you are at the top there is no time limit so take your time! Savour the views in all directions, as far as 40 miles away on a clear day. Use the enhanced reality interactive telescopes to learn more about London landmarks.

🏙 You can buy a £5 "weather guarantee" per ticket - and then if visibility is so bad you cannot see at least three of: the London Eye the Walkie Talkie, Tower Bridge,  One Canada Square, and St Paul’s Cathedral - then you can come back for free within 3 months.

🏙 No cash payments are accepted, so make sure you have a card to pay for souvenirs and refreshments.

🏙 Make sure you visit the restrooms while you are there - it's the best view from a loo you have ever experienced!
PSA: you may want to hit the bookmark icon because PSA: you may want to hit the bookmark icon because trust me, this refreshing summer cocktail is a keeper! 

Over the last few years, there has been an increased interest in premium tonic waters - after all  what is the point of buying excellent, nuanced, small batch gin and smothering it in cheap tonic? 

In 2015 premium spirits brand Suntory founded @merchantsheart, a range of premium mixers designed to enhance the flavour of their spirits. The range includes plain, light; floral aromatics; hibiscus; and pink peppercorn tonics, as well as ginger ale. I have been buying the pink peppercorn flavour at Sainsbury's since last year so I was thrilled when Merchant's Heart asked if they could send me a gift box of their tonics to try. [GIFTED]

To show off the beautiful pink hibiscus gin, I made a raspberry & cucumber gin cocktail (swipe left  and turn your sound up to hear the fizzzzzz in the video!). To make 2 long drinks you will need:
🍸 50ml gin
🍸 2 x 200ml bottles Merchant's Heart hibiscus tonic water
🍸 a handful of fresh raspberries
🍸 cucumber ribbons 
🍸 ice

Muddle half the strawberries with the ice. Pour over the gin and mix, then slowly top up with tonic. Add the cucumber ribbons and whole raspberries and enjoy. The hibiscus tonic not only lends a pink colour but also a floral flavour without being sweet.

What is your favourite way to enjoy gin and tonic?
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Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

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