Baked Alaska
27 Aug
Finally back on top of Daring Bakers. This month, all I have to say is; HOW HAVE I NEVER MADE BROWN BUTTER BEFORE? Seriously, I want to marry it, have its babies, then eat the babies.
I’ll admit that my sole experience with Baked Alaska is that my Sims have been burning down the house while making it for two generations of the game now. I had only a vague idea what it was, but I was still excited to try it. I mean… ice cream, cake, and fire? Come on.
I actually went out an bought an ice cream maker and a torch for this challenge. It was a lovely excuse, and being a pastry student, I don’t think purchasing a few kitchen gadgets with my student loan refund is stretching the rules. Much.
The three main components of the cake were a brown butter cake, homemade vanilla ice cream, and meringue.
The cake was amazing, but I think the butter could have been browned a bit more. Using a black-bottomed pan, it was hard to judge color as I was cooking it, but the smell was sort of toasty and caramelized, so I think it was good enough, if not quite right.
The ice cream recipe is a custard-style vanilla bean variety… my favorite. I bought bourbon vanilla beans, and it was wonderful. My new ice cream maker and I have started a beautiful friendship.
I’m not a huge fan of meringue, but it wasn’t as bad as I remember it. Plus, there is just something about toasting it with a pastry torch that makes it a bit more satisfying.
Mmm… pointy.
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”.
Welcome to the Daring Bakers! AWESOME job on your Baked Alaska. I’d say, as a pastry student, a few new kitchen gadgets is exactly what you should be spending your loan refund on!
(can it be considered tools of your profession? tax write off?? LOL) Awesome job construction, shaping and finishing the dish, too – really beautiful results. Great job on the challenge!
Thanks! Don’t encourage me, I have a whole list of other things I’d like to buy…
Those are great looking Baked Alaskas! Have you noticed that in the first picture on the back Baked Alaska there is what looks like a smiley face in the meringue toward the bottom of the dessert? Just thought I’d point that in case you hadn’t seen it. Nice job on the challenge!
Haha.. Toasty meringue is happy meringue. Thanks for pointing that out.
Cody´s last blog ..Baked Alaska
Your baked alaskas look just perfect. Its always nice to find “excuses” to invest in baking tools.
Never thought of a baked alaska as “ice and fire”.
Aparna´s last blog ..Not Baked Alaska Or Petite Fours- Just Another Ice-cream Cake! Daring Baker Challenge August- 2010
Thanks! And, yeah… fire and ice is a good way to describe, I think. But, I guess that’s already in the name Baked Alaska…
Any excuse to buy something new, huh?
Looks great!
I like to think so. Thanks!
Wow your baked alaska looks so delicious! Great job on this challenge!
great job! They are absolutely beautiful!
It’s perfect, very well done!
Namratha´s last blog ..Ice-cream Petit Fours – Daring Bakers Challenge