Christmas Tree Baked Alaska
Christmas Tree Baked Alaska
This showstopping dessert requires a bit of basic office supplies, plenty of freezer space and a brulee torch, but otherwise, it's easier than you think.
Ingredients
The Ice-cream Inside
- 4L ice cream, softened at room temperature for 20-30 min (I used chocolate, but you can use any flavour you like)
- 250g chocolate biscuits (such as oreos or bourbon biscuits)
- 60g unsalted butter, melted, cooled
The Meringue Outside
- 200g granulated sugar
- 4 large egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
The Ice-cream Inside
- Open a standard stiff card paper file folder or cut the ends off a stiff polypropylene plastic document folder so it can lie flat. Roll it into a cone with a 20-centimeter (8-inch) diameter; tape or staple to seal. Cut off the excess to make a flat base. This should resemble a Christmas Tree shape. Roll a similar-sized piece of parchment; fit it inside the cone. Place cone tip down (to hold it upright) in a pot or large vase (ensure vase and cone can fit in freezer),
- Fill cone with softened icecream.
- Pulse biscuits in the food processor and add melted butter to create a soft crumb.
- P at 1/2 of crumbs evenly on top of the ice cream. Freeze upright, point-down in a pot or vase, at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. Invert on a serving plate; remove mould and parchment. Let stand until slightly softened, 5 minutes. Pat the remaining crumbs over the outside of the cone. Return to freezer. *It can be made and stored up to 3 days in advance at this point.
The Meringue Outside
- Whisk egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer and place over a pot of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and egg whites are warm to the touch, about 3 1/2 minutes. Place bowl in stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment and whip, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high, until egg whites are foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue to whip until stiff, glossy peaks form. Fold in cornstarch and vanilla. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip.
- Star ting at bottom of the tree, and holding tip perpendicular to it, pipe upward, dragging meringue into teardrop shapes for a snowy effect. Lightly brown meringue with a kitchen torch.
Notes
To simplify, fill cone with only one icecream and cut a piece of sponge cake for the base. Freeze in advance. Then 1 hour before serving make the meringue. Pipe on meringue and torch just before service.
To serve, cut a piece from tip to base, then slice crosswise.