Author Notes
Baked Alaska is the perfect entertaining dessert. It is an elegant contrast in flavors and textures that can be made almost entirely in advance. I use a homemade non-dairy raspberry parfait that can be made without an ice cream maker but feel free to replace it with two quarts of your favorite ice cream instead. —Couldn't Be Parve
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Ingredients
- Brownie Layer
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Scant ½ cup vegetable oil (3.25 oz)
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1 cup
sugar
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2 tablespoons
dark brown sugar
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3/4 cup
good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
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1/2 teaspoon
salt
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1/4 cup
amaretto
-
2 teaspoons
vanilla extract
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2
large eggs
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1/2 cup
almond flour/almond meal
-
1/3 cup
chocolate chips, melted
- Raspberry Layer and Meringue
-
For the Raspberry Parfait
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2
12-oz bags frozen raspberries, thawed with juices
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8
large egg yolks
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3/4 cup
sugar
-
2/3 cup
amaretto
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For the Meringue
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8
large egg whites (these will not be fully cooked in this recipe so if that is of concern use pasteurized egg whites)
-
2 cups
sugar
Directions
- Brownie Layer
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Preheat the oven to 325. Line a 9×9 square pan with parchment or foil, leaving an overhang on two sides. Spray the pan liberally with cooking spray. Set aside
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Combine the oil, sugars, cocoa, amaretto, salt and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the almond flour and beat at high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in the melted chocolate.
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Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until a tester near the middle of the pan comes out with lots of moist crumbs. They will seem underdone, that is correct. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan.
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Remove the browines from pan by lifting them out with the parchment/foil overhang. Cut the brownie in half into two 9 x 4.5 inch pieces. Set aside. ?(can be made up to two days in advance, further if the brownies are frozen)
- Raspberry Layer and Meringue
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To make the raspberry layer:
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Line 2 9 x 4.5 inch loaf pans with plastic wrap or parchment paper and set aside. (If using ice cream instead of the raspberry parfait skip to step 10)
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Puree the berries in food processor. Strain through a sieve set over large measuring cup, pressing in solids in strainer to extract as much puree as possible. Alternatively, pass the raspberries through a food mill to remove the seeds. Cover puree and chill until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
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Combine egg yolks, amaretto and sugar in a medium metal bowl. Set over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Whisk constantly until thick and billowy and candy thermometer registers 160, about 7 minutes. (If you do not have a candy thermometer it should feel hot to the touch)
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Remove bowl from water. Add 1 ¾ cup cold berry puree. Using an electric mixer beat mixture until cool, about 7 minutes.
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Pour raspberry mixture into prepared baking pans. (It using ice cream soften it slightly and then spread it into an even layer in the pans) Top each pan with one piece of the brownie. Cover, freeze until firm, at least 6 hours.
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To Make the Meringue
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Place the egg whites and sugar in the metal bowl of an electric mixer. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch, 2-3 minutes. Transfer bowl to the mixer and whip (using the whisk attachment) until the mixture holds a stiff peak. (Depending on the size of the mixing bowl this may need to be done in two batches)
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Remove one of the loaf pans from the freezer. Invert it onto a cookie sheet and remove the plastic wrap. Working quickly, spread ½ the meringue on the frozen loaf, making sure to cover it completely and seal the edges. Return it to the freezer and repeat with the second loaf. (The baked Alaskas can be made up to this point a day ahead. Keep frozen until ready to serve.)
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Right before serving remove the baked Alaskas from the freezer. Place them under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until the outsides are lightly toasted. This can also be done using a kitchen torch. Serve immediately.
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Note: In order to make individual baked Alaskas like shown in the pictures double the brownie and meringue recipes. Use 2.5-3 inch dessert rings to cut out circles in the brownie. Leave the brownie in the dessert ring and fill to the top with the raspberry filling. Once frozen remove the rings and carefully coat each dessert with the meringue. Makes approximately 12 (depending on the size of the dessert rings).
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