The August 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Elissa of 17 and Baking. For the first time, The Daring Bakers partnered with Sugar High Fridays for a co-event and Elissa was the gracious hostess of both. Using the theme of beurre noisette, or browned butter, Elissa chose to challenge Daring Bakers to make a pound cake to be used in either a Baked Alaska or in Ice Cream Petit Fours. The sources for Elissa’s challenge were Gourmet magazine and David Lebovitz’s “The Perfect Scoop”.
The only times I remember having Baked Alaska before was abroad a cruise ship on formal nights. I love the combination of soft melty ice cream and cake all covered in sweet marshmallowy meringue, so I was excited to finally make it at home. Unfortunately, my results did not live up to my expectations. Especially disappointing because I was serving it to guests.
I made the cake on a day that was crammed full with too many errands, a baby shower, a wedding reception and out-of-town guests. I doubled the cake recipe and baked it in a sheet cake pan so that I would have enough for eight servings. Unfortunately, I had to leave before the cake was finished baking and left my husband in charge of taking it out of the oven and in the end it was too dry.
The ice cream was a fabulous cherry chocolate ice cream recipe from Our Best Bies made with fresh, delicious cherries. It tasted wonderful right out of the ice cream freezer, but I think the assembly process of the Baked Alaska made it turn a bit icy.
The meringue wasn’t tasty either. It whipped up beautifully and looked so pretty swirled on my individual Baked Alaskas. We even improvised and used my husband’s soldering torch, which worked pretty well. But unfortunately the meringue was so salty that it was inedible.
Everyone was good sports about eating this dessert that I worked so hard on and looked delicious, but even after scrapping off the meringue, it really wasn’t worth the calories.
Other Daring Bakers loved this recipe, it just didn’t work for me. I need to do a redo and try some new flavors. Baked Alaska can be as easy or as complicated as you want to make it. You could easily bake up some brownies, cut them into individual servings, buy some fab ice cream, mold it, whip up some merinuge and toasted it for a very impressive and easy dessert. I may just do that soon.
Visit the Daring Kitchen Recipe Achieve for the recipes, instructions, step by step photographs and a fabulous slide show of all the amazing Daring Baker’s Baked Alaskas. Thanks Elissa for the push I needed to make Baked Alaska at home.
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I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies. I’ll post my adventures in the kitchen, my favorite new recipes, as well as our family favorites.
If I had only looked at your pictures and not read your post, I could never have guessed it was anything other than perfection. Sorry to know that it didn't work for you…
That is just beautiul.
But Barbara, it is so beautiful! What a perfect Baked Alaska! I am sorry that you weren't very happy with the results. I wish I was there to sample it. But it is beautiful!
I am sorry the taste wasn't what you had hoped for. Odd that the meringue was so salty for you, I didn't have that experience at all… That is a shame. But the finished Baked Alaskas sure did look beautiful.
I'm in love with the idea of individual baked alaksas. How cute is that? So sorry that you weren't happy with end result, especially since serving to company. I know how that feels and it's not very fun. I do like your idea of using a brownie as a base and building from that. I bet that version would be fantastic!
I haven't made baked alaskas in years. What a cute version. I'm sure when you play around with this a bit more it will be perfectly to your liking. They look absolutely beautiful!
Aw, I'm sorry it didn't turn out tasting well…but know that they still look gorgeous!
Aww, they look so cute and pretty though! Pity it didn't work out. I forgot to add salt to my meringue, lucky I guess
They do look delicious! I know how you feel though about working so hard on something that doesn't turn out the way you anticipated…especially for guests.
I still envy you for trying the baked alaska.. I wanted to give it a whirl but don't have a torch of any kind in our little apartment. I hope your next go turns out better.. maybe mine will too!?
Wow, you are busy! Kudos to you for trying this out. Even if they didn't meet your expectations, the pictures you took look beautiful!
You know, I had the same reaction to the assembled dessert.. it really wasn't worth all that trouble. Would have been simple to have cake, ice cream and the fresh fruit.. I found the meringue very bland and doing nothing to the overall dish.. nevertheless, well atleast the ice cream as is was good
WOW! This is very beautiful, I love at first sight
)
That looks so good and professional
I'm sorry it didn't work out for you, but you know what? They still look cute as buttons
Your photos look perfect, even though they didn't taste all that good. And, I love that you made cute little individual ones too! So fun!
I'm so sorry that this challenge didn't work out for you. The result certainly looks beautiful, and the ice cream sounds incredible. Most disappointing is the meringue – I wish it had been better for you!
You did it very well Barbara. Look so tempting and delicious!
They look so pretty, sorry they didn't turn out as you had hoped. I had a bit of a disappointment as well (I'll have the post out tonight). I say the same thing you do about "not worth the calories". I might have to agree.
These are absolutely darling, not to mention delicious looking! Kudos to you for a wonderful dessert.
Even though they didn't turn out as hoped, they still look beautiful!
Wowww looks grt…just awesome…
Barbara, you did a great job making this look beautiful. Too bad it didn't taste as you hoped. I haven't looked at the Daring Bakers recipe, but I know when I make a soft meringue like this, I use 2 egg whites, 6 tbsp granulated sugar & just a pinch of salt.
I have horrid memories of having to redo & redo this dessert during my chef apprenticeship until I got it right, I think of this beautiful little morsel is the devil incarnate…., well., slight exaggeration, but even though I did master the dish, it always – for some reason – has a cantankerous steak about it (& I too wouldn't have known it had its flaws unless you'd told us Barbara, yours look fabulous).
Hi Barbra,
These looks soooo cute .I love the size ……… well done
Tch tch… next time the hub had better watch out! I think you did a marvellous job Barbara, and I love the ice cream flavour, and how neat your little ones look. I need a blow torch!! I do ..
What a beautifully done challenge GF!!
These are gorgeous Barbara! After all the time you spent I'm sorry they didn't turn out like you hoped. I have never had a baked Alaska before but my Mom is always asking me to make one.
they sure look wonderful! it's a bummer though that all your work didn't get the results you were hoping for. i've heard about baked alaskas, but didn't know until now what they were!
Well, Barbara,
It certainly LOOKS pretty! My oven died in the middle of baking the cake:(
I don't like meringue at all. I would have used whipped cream instead haha. Your baked alaskas look great. I'm sorry that they didn't turn out well. At least you can say you made them before!! You should try making a plainer version (vanilla or chocolate ice cream) with a different cake base and whipped cream. YUM!
Oh, these look wonderful! Love the idea of individual Baked Alaskas.
Ooooh. I just broke out my blow torch for lemon meringue cupcakes and this seems like the next perfect project for it! Love Baked Alaskas!
I love the flavour of your icecream! I think I'll be using cherries a lot this summer! Sorry the baked Alaska didn't work out. I actually made the Italian meringue and didn't put any salt in it at all but I have to say I don't particularly like the thought of gooey meringue so that put me off a bit.
I love the idea of Baked Alaska even though I've never had the joy of eating one or been daring enough to attempt the recipe. Yours looks fabulous though! I can't believe that it isn't worth loosening my jeans for
You did a beautiful job mum! I'm so glad I finally made a baked alaska too, it was nervewracking but fun!
Barbara…I embaressingly admit that although I knew what baked Alaskas were…I’ve never had quite the experience of eating it yet.
By the looks of your photos…no one would ever imagine that they were less than a great success. Sorry for all your hard work. You’re still aces in my book ;o)
Ciao for now,
Claudia
I have been meaning to stop by your site for ages, having seen your name come up lots of times in comment sections of some of my favourite blogs. I’m glad I finally found time! Sorry you didn’t like the baked alaska. I found the petit fours a little disappointing – I hope next month’s challenge has both you and I happier with our work.
I LOVE your new site and your baked Alaska look amazing!!! Welcome to WordPress!
It’s so frustrating when a recipe does not meet your expectations. Your photos tell a completely different story.
Mimi
Oh No! Sorry it didn’t work out – but your baked alaskas look magnificent, and cherry chocolate icecream sounds devine. I wasn’t much of a fan of the cake I have to say – it was pretty dry regardless.
Salty meringue or not, they look beautiful and the cherry chocolate ice cream looks and sounds yummy! I had meringue problems myself. I’ve done a swiss meringue a gazillion times, always turns out, but this time it didn’t..twice. Grainy and foamy, so I just slathered it on minus all the swirls I was hoping for. I did get an igloo looking one out of it, though..LOL