Equipment
Ingredients
Fruit Center
- 200 g strawberries, hulled and diced
- 25 g caster sugar
- 15 ml kirsch
Ice Cream Core
- 450 g strawberry ice cream, slightly softened
- 450 g vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
Cake Base
- 100 g ladyfingers
- 30 ml kirsch
- 30 ml water
- 15 g caster sugar
Swiss Meringue
- 150 g egg whites
- 300 g caster sugar
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 1 g cream of tartar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 477 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 82 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 52 g
- Sodium
- 143 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 50 mg
- Potassium
- 385 mg
- Calcium
- 204 mg
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 31 mg
- Phosphorus
- 184 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 65 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 19 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.44 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 25 mcg
- Water
- 111 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 2 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a small bowl, toss the diced strawberries with 25g caster sugar and 15ml kirsch. Set aside to macerate for 20 minutes.
Line the inside of a 1.5L mixing bowl smoothly with plastic wrap, leaving plenty of overhang on the sides. This will act as the mold for your dessert.
Using the softened strawberry ice cream, press an even 2-centimeter thick layer around the entire inside of the lined bowl, leaving a deep hollow cavity in the center.
Place the bowl in the freezer to firm up the outer ice cream layer.
Drain the excess liquid from the macerated strawberries. Fold the strawberries into the softened vanilla ice cream, then pack this mixture into the hollow center of the frozen strawberry ice cream shell.
In a shallow dish, stir together the 30ml kirsch, 30ml water, and 15g caster sugar until the sugar dissolves to create a soaking syrup.
Briefly dip the ladyfingers into the kirsch syrup and arrange them in a tight, flat layer over the exposed vanilla ice cream. Trim them as necessary to fit neatly within the edge of the bowl. This will become the base of the dessert.
Fold the overhanging plastic wrap over the ladyfingers to seal, and freeze overnight until completely solid.
To prepare the Swiss meringue, combine the egg whites, 300g caster sugar, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
Whisk the egg white mixture continuously over the heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture reaches 71°C/160°F. This pasteurizes the egg whites and ensures a stable meringue.
Transfer the hot mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the vanilla extract and whip on high speed until thick, glossy, stiff peaks form and the bottom of the bowl feels completely cool to the touch.
Remove the frozen dome from the freezer, unwrap the top, and invert it onto a heatproof serving platter. Gently peel away the plastic wrap from the dome.
Immediately cover the entire ice cream and ladyfinger dome with the meringue. Use a spatula to create dramatic swirls and peaks, ensuring the meringue goes all the way down to the serving platter to completely seal the ice cream.
Using a blowtorch, evenly toast the meringue until the peaks are deeply browned and caramelized. Slice with a hot, clean knife and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Swiss meringue is chosen over French meringue for this recipe because heating the egg whites to 71 degrees Celsius makes it perfectly safe to consume without further baking, while providing exceptional structural stability.
- The ladyfingers form a critical sponge layer that absorbs melting ice cream and condensation, preventing the dessert from slipping on the serving platter.
- For the neatest slices, heat a sharp chef's knife under hot running water, wipe it completely dry, and apply gentle downward pressure to cut through the meringue without crushing it.
- If you want to prepare this even further in advance, you can fully coat the frozen dome in meringue and freeze the entire assembly for up to 24 hours before torching and serving.
Storage
Freezer: 3 days — Store the assembled, un-meringued dome tightly wrapped in the freezer. Once covered in meringue and torched, it should be served immediately.
Troubleshooting
Meringue is weeping or slipping off the ice cream
Cause: The ice cream was melting during assembly or the meringue was applied to a wet surface
Fix: Cannot be fixed once weeping begins, serve immediately
Prevention: Ensure the ice cream dome is thoroughly frozen solid before applying meringue, and work quickly in a cool kitchen
Ice cream melts into a puddle while torching
Cause: Gaps in the meringue coating allowed heat to reach the ice cream
Fix: Cannot be fixed, freeze immediately to halt further melting
Prevention: Seal the meringue perfectly flush against the bottom of the serving platter to create a complete insulating envelope
Meringue won't reach stiff peaks
Cause: Trace amounts of fat or egg yolk in the bowl, or sugar was not fully dissolved
Fix: Cannot be fixed, discard and restart the meringue
Prevention: Wipe the stand mixer bowl and whisk with a paper towel dampened with vinegar or lemon juice before starting
Cultural Context
Baked Alaska is a classic American dessert shrouded in culinary lore, famously popularized by Delmonico's Restaurant in New York City in the late 19th century to celebrate the United States' acquisition of Alaska. The dish relies on the scientific principle that air trapped within a foam (the meringue) acts as a powerful thermal insulator, protecting the frozen core from brief exposure to intense heat.
