New Year's Eve
Tiramisu Baked Alaska
- Prep time 15 minutes
- Cook time 8 hours
- Serves 10 to 12
Author Notes
Baked Alaska is a dessert I always seem to forget about, but one that definitely should not be overlooked. This version, inspired by one of my favorite desserts—tiramisu—begins with a layer of brownie, followed by coffee ice cream, coffee-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone vanilla ice cream, all wrapped up in a layer of toasted Swiss meringue. It’s a showstopper (designed specially for New Year’s Eve), but with store-bought ice cream, it doesn’t require as much active cooking time as it looks. This dessert is really rich, which means you can cut small pieces and serve many.
Tips & Tricks:
• Although Grand Marnier in the coffee soak is technically optional, I’d recommend adding it, as the alcohol helps prevent the ladyfingers from hardening in the freezer. If you don’t have Grand Marnier, you can substitute it with brandy, marsala wine, or Kahlua.
• To make this ahead, you can fully complete the recipe up until the step where you toast the meringue and serve. Swiss meringue is really stable, which means it will hold up in the freezer once you’ve swirled it onto the ice cream. Freezing it after applying the meringue is even recommended to ensure the ice cream stays as cold as possible when you torch it.
• If you don’t want to make homemade brownies, use store-bought brownies or a brownie mix.
—Nea Arentzen
Ingredients
-
BROWNIE
-
1
large egg
-
3/4 cup
(150 grams) granulated sugar
-
1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
-
1/4 cup
(50 grams) neutral oil
-
1/2 cup
(60 grams) all purpose flour
-
1/4 cup
(21 grams) cocoa powder
-
1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
-
FILLING
-
1/2 cup
strong black coffee
-
3 tablespoons
Grand Marnier (see tip)
-
1 pint
vanilla bean ice cream, softened slightly
-
1/2 cup
(4 ounces) mascarpone
-
1 pint
coffee ice cream, softened slightly
-
6 to 8
lady fingers
-
SWISS MERINGUE
-
4
(120 grams) egg whites
-
1 cup
(198 grams) granulated white sugar
-
a
pinch of kosher salt
Directions
- *Bake the brownie layer*: Heat the oven to 325ºF/163ºC with a rack in the center position. Line an 8x4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. This helps create that shiny crust, which won’t be visible in the finished dessert but I always like to do it with brownies regardless.
- Mix in the oil, flour, cocoa powder and salt until no dry clumps remain. Spread into the prepared loaf pan and bake until cooked around the edges but still slightly underbaked in the center, about 18 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from the pan.
- Assemble the layers: Cover the inside of the same loaf pan with plastic wrap so that it overhangs on the sides (make sure to press it into all the sides and corners).
- In a shallow bowl, combine the coffee and Grand Marnier to have ready for assembly. In a medium bowl, use a spatula or handheld electric whisk to combine the softened vanilla ice cream with mascarpone. Spread immediately into the bottom of the plastic wrap-covered loaf pan. If you think it’s softened too much to hold the lady fingers up, transfer to the freezer for 30 minutes before continuing.
- Dip each ladyfinger into the coffee soak, then assemble across the vanilla ice cream layer. Transfer back to the freezer if needed.
- Dollop the softened coffee ice cream over the ladyfingers, then gently spread into an even layer. Place the brownie on top, pressing down slightly to adhere. Wrap in the overhanging plastic wrap, then freeze until solid, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- *Top with meringue*: In the bowl of a stand mixer or a heatproof bowl, combine the egg whites, sugar, and salt. Fill a saucepan with 1–2 inches of water and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Place your heatproof bowl over the saucepan, ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Whisk the mixture continuously to dissolve the sugar and gently heat the egg whites until it reaches 160ºF/71ºC on a kitchen thermometer. If you don’t have one, rub a bit of the mixture between your fingers—if it feels completely smooth (no sugar granules), it’s ready.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and transfer it to your stand mixer (or use a hand mixer). Begin whipping the mixture on medium speed until the egg whites form soft peaks. Increase to high speed and whip until stiff, glossy peaks form and the sides of the bowl feel completely cool to the touch. This can take 5 to 7 minutes.
- *Assemble baked Alaska*: Place a serving plate over the loaf pan, then flip and remove the loaf pan. Carefully remove the plastic wrap. Spread the meringue over the ice cream in swooping motions, then use a torch to brown the meringue. Serve immediately.
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