Peeps, I have kind of a lot of summer-y dessert recipes that I am going to try to post as fast as is humanly possible (aka in the next few days/weeks), as I don’t want you to miss out, and I also don’t want you to be annoyed to see me posting recipes for treats calling for berries and ice cream and all things summer in October. So, consider this the beginning of the last-minute marathon of summer desserts, and here we go. First up: BAKED ALASKA — one of the best damn desserts on the planet, hands-down — or at least if you are one of those peeps who digs ice cream and cake and toasted meringue, and I am hoping that that is most of you. Otherwise, I’m going to have a hard time hanging with you. (JOKE.)
This particular Baked Alaska is particularly special for a couple of reasons. First, it is from my book, The Vintage Baker, (the pic above is from the book and is by Alice Gao) and that is cool cause I like sharing recipes from the book on the blog, in case you were wondering. Second, the recipe from my book (and shared here) is made in a loaf pan and is referred to as a “Baked Alaska Sandwich,” and that is also cool, if you ask me (which I hope you do). Third, my lovely pal Stephanie made this baked Alaska sandwich and took a pic of it (featured below), and for that I am grateful. Fourth, the amazing Katie Clova (who blogs at Wood & Spoon) blogged about this baked Alaska and that is a bit of a thrill, in case anyone’s asking. And, finally, the recipe can be found on Taste and it is indeed Taste’s post to which I will direct you to find my recipe for this amazingly perfect late summer/early fall (okay, really perfect ANY time) toasted-meringue-covered sweet. Katie’s pic is the last one you’ll find at the bottom of the the post, FYI, so keep reading!
This cake is easy-peasy to throw together. (My favorite, and I’m assuming yours too if you have made your way to this blog, as “simple sweets” is my thing, peeps; and I consider myself, if you must know, the queen of the simple sweet.) But I digress. Essentially you make a very thin chocolate cake in a 13x9x2-inch cake pan (it takes almost no time to bake, because it is so thin) and once cooled, you cut it into three pieces.
You add a pint of softened ice cream to the bottom of a loaf pan lined in plastic wrap, add a piece of the cake, and repeat twice more, with two more pints of ice cream and the remaining two pieces of the cake. You then place the pan in the freezer until frozen, make an easy meringue (the recipe walks you through this, so don’t be scared), you invert the cake onto a serving platter, cover with the meringue and toast said meringue with your mini blowtorch (if you have one) or in the oven briefly, under the broiler, if you do not. Done done and done, as they say (or is that just me?). The baked Alaska sandwich recipe can be found here.