A dessert that’s cold and toasted, creamy and marshmallowy, over-the-top and somehow easy to make at home? That could only be a baked Alaska. While our grasshopper baked Alaska recipe uses a mint-infused ice cream on top of a brownie base, you can customize this dessert with your favorite flavors.
What is baked Alaska?
Baked Alaska is a dessert comprised of three components: cake, ice cream and meringue. A layer of cake (any flavor) is topped with a dome of ice cream (again, any flavor). That duo is then enrobed in a snowy white layer of Swiss meringue. To finish this treat, the meringue is then toasted either in the oven or with a kitchen torch.
So where did this elaborate icy-hot dessert come from? The folks at NPR explain that once meringue was discovered to be an excellent insulator, meringue-covered frozen treats came into fashion. French chefs created the first iteration of this dessert in the 1830s and called it an Omelette Norwegge—possibly taking its name from the cold landscape of Norway.
A few decades later, pastry chef Charles Ranhofer took inspiration from this French dessert to create his version at Delmonico’s restaurant in New York City. Ranhofer was known for making clever references when naming his desserts (he named dishes after celebrities and politicians of the era). In 1867, the hot topic was the Alaska Territory, and Ranhofer named his cake-meets-ice-cream-meets-meringue dessert the Alaska Florida. This later evolved to be called a baked Alaska.
Ingredients for Baked Alaska
- Butter: You’ll need one stick of butter for this baked Alaska recipe. Cube the butter so it melts more easily.
- Chocolate: Be sure to purchase unsweetened chocolate, and give it a good chop so it melts easily into the butter.
- Sugar: We use a cup of sugar to sweeten the brownie base and a cup to sweeten the meringue.
- Vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla extract adds a subtle sweetness and delicate floral note to the brownie base.
- Eggs: You’ll need two whole eggs at room temperature for the brownie base, and eight egg whites for the meringue.
- All-purpose flour: We use all-purpose flour to add structure to the brownie base.
- Baking powder: Be sure your baking powder isn’t expired, otherwise your brownie base could come out like a dense hockey puck.
- Vanilla ice cream: Grab 2 quarts of the best vanilla ice cream you can buy. The quality will make a huge difference in the taste.
- Andes candies: Chop up an entire package of Andes candies. The mint-chocolate flavor combo adds to the grasshopper flavor and gives the baked Alaska a snappy texture.
- Creme de menthe: Creme de menthe is a mint-flavored alcoholic beverage. Buy the green-hued version to add color to the ice cream, or learn how to make creme de menthe at home.
- Creme de cacao: Similar to creme de menthe, creme de cacao is a chocolate-flavored alcoholic beverage with a base liquor of whiskey or vodka.
- Green food coloring: While optional, we love adding green food coloring to the ice cream to impart that grasshopper look. You’ll only need a few drops.
- Cream of tartar: Essential to any meringue recipe, cream of tartar binds the ingredients and acts as a stabilizer, preventing the meringue from wilting or separating.
Directions
Step 1: Make the brownie batter
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Begin by melting the butter and chocolate together in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring until the ingredients are smooth.
Stir in the sugar. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat in the vanilla extract and the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until a smooth batter forms.
Editor’s Tip: Beat the eggs into the hot butter and chocolate quickly so the eggs don’t scramble.
Step 2: Bake the brownie base
Pour the batter into a greased 8-inch round baking pan. Bake the brownie for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs (do not overbake). Let the brownie cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 3: Mix and mold the ice cream
Combine the vanilla ice cream, Andes candies, liqueurs and, if using, the food coloring.
Transfer the ice cream mixture into an 8-inch round (1-1/2-quart) mixing bowl lined with storage wrap. Freeze until set—at least an hour, though overnight is best.
Editor’s Tip: It can be hard to stir the liqueurs and candy into ice cream straight from the deep freeze. To make this easier, learn how to soften ice cream first. And if you want to make this step even simpler, replace these ingredients with your favorite mint-flavored ice cream and press it into the mold instead.
Step 4: Make the meringue
In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar. With a hand mixer, beat the mixture on low speed for one minute. Continue beating the egg mixture over low heat until it reaches 160°, about eight minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form and the sugar has dissolved.
Editor’s Tip: Make sure that the saucepan you’re using is safe to use with the metal whisk attachments of your hand mixer. You don’t want to damage the finish on your pots.
Step 5: Assemble the baked Alaska
Place the brownie on an ungreased foil-lined baking sheet and place the inverted ice cream mold on top. Remove the storage wrap. Immediately spread the meringue over the ice cream, sealing it to the edge of the brownie.
If you’re serving immediately, move right on to the next step. Otherwise, stash this dessert in the freezer until you’re ready to serve it (up to 24 hours).
Editor’s Tip: The meringue can be spread with an offset spatula or piped on with decorative pastry tips—it’s all up to you!
Step 6: Toast the meringue
Ready to choose your adventure? If you’re making this dessert the old-fashioned way, pop the baked Alaska into a 400º oven until the meringue is lightly browned, about two to five minutes.
If you’re looking for a reason to use your kitchen torch, break it out and carefully toast the meringue until the edges start to brown slightly. Don’t hold the torch too close; keep about 6 inches of distance between the torch and the meringue.
Step 7: Serve
Transfer the baked Alaska to a serving plate and serve it immediately.
Editor’s Tip: To make a sharp, clean cut, dip a chef’s knife into hot water, wipe dry and then slice this dessert like you would a cake. Clean the knife and repeat for each slice.
Baked Alaska Variations
- Use another ice cream flavor: Don’t feel limited by our ice cream recommendation. You can use basically any ice cream flavor, so long as it pairs with the chocolate brownie base. We have some knockout ice cream recipes if you’re up for a homemade one. From gelato to ice cream or even sherbet to sorbet, the sky is the limit!
- Bake a different base: There are lots of different brownies you can bake for the base. Or, go the more traditional route and bake one of these cake recipes.
Here are some specific baked Alaska flavor combos if you need a little inspo:
- Strawberry shortcake: Start with a vanilla cake base, then use strawberry ice cream and stir in fresh or freeze-dried strawberries for extra flavor.
- Turtle: Use a chocolate cake as the foundation. Stir pecans and caramel into your favorite vanilla ice cream, or take a shortcut and use turtle ice cream.
- Almond joy: Pair coconut ice cream with chocolate cake. Stir in extra almonds into the ice cream for crunch.
- Birthday cake: Use confetti cake as the foundation and pile on the birthday person’s favorite ice cream flavor. Bonus points if it also uses sprinkles!
- Spumoni: With a brownie base plus hazelnuts, pistachios, almond extract, maraschino cherries and a bit of rum, the spumoni baked Alaska is a decadent taste of Italy.
- Neapolitan: Strawberry ice cream and chocolate wafers make this a Neapolitan baked Alaska.
How to Store Baked Alaska
Baked Alaska should be stored, uncovered, in the freezer for up to three days.
Baked Alaska Tips
Won’t the ice cream melt when I torch the meringue?
Good question, but no! The meringue creates a seal, so the ice cream isn’t exposed to heat, air or elements. However, this doesn’t mean you can keep the baked Alaska sitting out for a long time. If left at room temperature, eventually it will melt.
How do I create a swirl of different ice creams?
Soften the ice creams you want to use and prepare the bowl as described in this recipe. With an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop, drop alternating scoops of ice cream from the ice cream flavors you’re using. Do this until the bowl is full, working quickly. Place a piece of storage wrap on top and push down to remove any gaps. Freeze the ice cream as directed in this recipe.
Where can I buy a kitchen torch?
You can purchase kitchen torches from online retailers and most specialty kitchen shops. There are quite a few brands out there, so we cut out the noise and made a list of the best kitchen torches on the market.
