Chocolate Baked Alaska
Baked Alaska consists of a cake with a layer of ice cream on top all covered by a layer of meringue. The whole thing is cooked in a very hot oven for a for short period of time. When it comes out of the oven the meringue is lightly browned while the ice cream is still frozen. This desert lives in a state of thermal disequalibrium and the hot meringue will do its best to melt the ice cream. It must be served as soon as it comes out of the oven.
This dish requires some preparation a few hours in advance and 15 minutes of work immediately before it is served.
First make the cake. The cake will need to be completely cooled by the time you are prepared to assemble the final Baked Alaska. Grease and flour a 9" round cake pan. Preheat the oven to 350° F
Combine:
| 3/4 | cup sugar |
|---|---|
| 1 | cup flour |
| 1/3 | cup cocoa |
| 3/4 | teaspoons baking powder |
| 3/4 | teaspoons baking soda |
Add and mix for 2 minutes at medium speed:
| 1 | egg |
|---|---|
| 1/2 | cup milk |
| 1/4 | cup vegetable oil |
| 1 | teaspoon vanilla extract |
Mix in:
| 1/2 | cup boiling water |
|---|
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
After the cake has cooled for ten minutes remove it from the pan and cut off the raised center of the cake so that the top is level. Let cool for at least two hours.
Shape a quart of ice cream (your favorite flavor) into a layer the same size as your cake and return to the freezer. Let it harden for at least two hours.
15 minutes before you are ready to serve desert make the meringue.
Preheat the oven to 500° F.
First in a large bowl beat until foamy:
| 8 | egg whites |
|---|---|
| 1/4 | teaspoon salt |
Slowly add and beat until whites are stiff but moist:
| 2 | cups sugar |
|---|---|
| 2 | teaspoons vanilla extract |
Put the cake on a cookie sheet, place the ice cream on top of the cake and cover the cake and ice cream with a thick layer of meringue.
Immediately place in the hot oven for about 5 minutes or until the meringue is slightly brown. Serve as soon as possible
Put any left over in the freezer before the ice cream melts.
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