Baked Alaska
Ice cream dreams under fire
Jeremy Fall is an innovative chef and restaurateur who has founded multiple acclaimed restaurants across Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York including Nighthawk: Breakfast Bar and Mixtape. His culinary style blends his Tunisian, French, Caribbean, and Jewish heritage into unique dining experiences.
Jeremy Fall•
December 31, 2024
Some desserts become our anchors - this one takes me back to my first job in fine dining, watching the pastry chef paint meringue across ice cream like an artist. The trick is building those clean, distinctive layers one at a time. Keep your ice cream just soft enough to spread, but never melted. And when it's time for the torch, go slow and steady for that perfect golden brown.
Ingredients (6)
Ingredients (6)
Instructions
Place the pints of ice cream in the refrigerator to soften slightly, about 45 minutes. It should be spreadable but not liquid.
Line a 9-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer to chill, about 30 minutes.
Starting with the cherry ice cream (1 pint), use the back of a spoon or offset spatula to smooth it into an even layer on the bottom of the loaf pan. Place the loaf pan back in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Then repeat this step with the chocolate ice cream (1 pint) and put back in the freezer for another 15 minutes. Repeat with the mint ice cream (1 pint) and top it with the crushed chocolate wafers (⅓ cup), packing them in. Freeze at least 6 hours or overnight.
When ready to serve, make the meringue. Whip the egg whites (6 large) until foamy and soft peaks form. Then add the sugar (1 ½ cups) about two tablespoons at a time, whipping constantly until all the sugar is incorporated and stiff, glossy peaks form.
To unmold the Baked Alaska, invert the loaf pan onto a serving platter. Using a culinary blowtorch, heat the loaf pan briefly to loosen it from the ice cream. Remove the loaf pan and then remove and discard the plastic.
Using an offset spatula, cover the loaf of ice cream with the meringue, creating dramatic swoops and tufts of meringue as you go. You may not need to use all the meringue. When fully covered and satisfied with the shape of your Baked Alaska, use the blowtorch to toast the meringue all over.
To serve, slice the loaf with a sharp knife to reveal the beautiful ice cream layers.
