Baked Alaska Anglaise with a Chocolate Underground

Makes about 8 individual Baked Alaska

The recipe can be halved.

One Recipe of Honey Italian Meringue

8 baked cookie bases (recipe below)

1 quart ice cream (preferably Double-Vanilla Crème Anglaise or any high-quality vanilla ice cream)

4 oz. pureed and strained frozen raspberries (optional garnish)   

·          Butter knife

1.       Place prepared cookie bases on one large tray or two smaller trays.  Scoop 12 ice cream scoops (about 2 1/3 inches in diameter) unto the bases.  Work quickly and place trays into the freezer as soon as you have completed the tray.  Let the ice cream harden in freezer for at least 1 hour.

2.       Take trays out of freezer and with a large spoon, generously portion meringue onto each of the ice cream scoop.  Take care that the meringue evenly covers each scoop and that the entire cookie base is covered as well.  Return to freezer for 10 minutes.

3.       After 10 minutes, remove the tray again.  With a butter knife make spikes in the meringue.  The more spikes the better – more spikes make for a more brown, crunchy crust.  When complete, the Alaska should look like little porcupines. Return to the freezer for 20 minutes to 2 hours. 

4.       When ready to serve, preheat the oven (convention is best but you can use a regular oven) to 500 degrees, with the rack in the lowest position.  While the oven is preheating, line the half sheet pan with moist kitchen towels.  Then, place the dessert plates on top of kitchen towels. With the thin spatula, place one Alaska onto each plate.  

5.       Once oven is preheated, remove trays and place in oven for 3-5 minutes. Watch closely.  If you are using a regular oven it may take an extra minute.

6.       Remove from oven and quickly decorate with raspberry sauce, if using.  Take care not to use to much raspberry sauce, you want to enhance but not overpower the dessert.  I find a couple dots or swirls around the plate works well. Serve post haste.     

Baked Alaska Cookie Base

Adapted from the World Peace Cookies in Baking: from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Makes about 12 bases for individual Baked Alaska

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

·         Heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment

·         2 half sheet pans fitted with parchment paper

·         Large spatula

·         Large spoon

1.       Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together.

2.       Working with a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add both sugars, salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.  Turn off the mixer.

3.       Next pour in the dry ingredients.  Pulse the mixer for a second or two at low speed about 5 times.  Continuing at low speed, mix for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough.  Take care to work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added to the mixer.  Overworked dough makes for tough cookies.  Add the chocolate pieces and mix by hand only to incorporate.

4.       Rather than shaping the dough into a log, keep the dough in the bowl, cover the dough and put it into the refrigerator.  The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for a month.

5.       When ready to bake, center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

6.       Using clean hands, form dough into about 12 disks that are 2 1/2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. (The dough will likely crack as you are cutting and forming the disks—don't be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each disk.)  Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inch between them.

7.       Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 13 minutes—they won't look done, nor will they be firm, but that's just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they reach room temperature.  Pack airtight and store at room temperature for up to 3 days, until you are ready are to build your Baked Alaska.