Easy Baked Alaska

Forget the hours and hours it takes to make Baked Alaska! Make this Easy (Cheater) Baked Alaska instead for an impressive dessert everyone will love!

The other night, my husband and I caught an episode of America’s Test Kitchen where they made Baked Alaska. I have always wanted to make Baked Alaska, so I paid very close attention to the instructions.

First, you had to bake a cake. Then let it cool.

Then you had to cut open two containers of ice cream, stick the ice cream together, wrap it up, and freeze it.

Then you had to wrap the cooled cake around the ice cream, and then freeze it.

Then you had to cut that whole thing in half, add some more cake to the part you just cut, and freeze again.

FINALLY, (after at least 8 hours total of freezing and cooling things), you added the meringue and baked it in a 500-degree F. oven for a few minutes, and you were done.

To say that I was dismayed by the end of the episode was quite an understatement. “There HAS to be a faster, easier way to do this!” I thought.

Then I had a brilliant idea. I told my husband I was going to make a “Cheater Baked Alaska.” (He thought I said “Cheeto Baked Alaska” at first and was like, ‘Okaaaaaay….'” Ha ha!)

My daughter had just had a birthday and wanted an ice cream cake made out of ice cream sandwiches. I still had some left over and realized they would be PERFECT for my Cheater (not Cheeto) Baked Alaska. So here’s what I did:

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How to Make Easy (Cheater) Baked Alaska

First, I lined a bread pan with plastic wrap. I made sure it went all the way up the sides.

Next, I placed ice cream sandwiches in the bottom and cut them to fit if necessary. I used Neapolitan ice cream sandwiches, but you can use any flavor you like.

Then I put a layer of softened Cookies and Cream Ice Cream over the ice cream sandwiches.

I topped that with another layer of ice cream sandwiches, covered it with plastic wrap, and put it in the freezer so that the softened ice cream in the middle could firm up again.

When I was ready to put the meringue on, I got it out of the freezer and turned it upside down on top of a cookie sheet. Then I removed the plastic.

I had already prepared my meringue (I’ll explain how to make it in a minute). I spread it all over the ice cream cake, making sure to “seal” the edges to the cake pan. I used a spoon to make swirly designs and peaks. If you want to be super fancy, you can put the meringue in a piping bag with a decorator tip and make other designs.

Then my husband used his industrial blow torch to brown the meringue. This was not the original plan. I got a cute little kitchen torch for Christmas, but for some reason, we couldn’t get the butane into it, so we had to break out the big guns. Usually you have the option of browning the meringue in the oven for 3-5 minutes. However, normal Baked Alaska has more of a cake base which acts as insulation for the ice cream while in the oven. Since this recipe doesn’t have a thick cake base, I was worried that the ice cream would melt in the oven. Thus, the industrial blow torch. But look how pretty it turned out!

When you slice it, you can see the perfect layers of ice cream.

I stored the leftovers in the freezer for several days. You can loosely cover it if you like. And guess what! The meringue doesn’t freeze! It stays soft and pillowy! Speaking of meringue….

How to make meringue

• All you need are 3 egg whites, (room temperature, preferably), a pinch of cream of tartar, and 1/2 cup of sugar.
• Put the egg whites in a stand mixer and whip them using the whisk attachment on high speed. (Alternately, you can use a hand mixer, but your arm may get tired). When the eggs get frothy, add the pinch of cream of tartar, and then gradually add the half cup of sugar while still whipping at high speed.
• When the egg whites become glossy and reach stiff-peak consistency, they are done. (You can tell if they are “stiff peak” if you pull the beaters straight up and the meringue holds its shape). This was about five minutes total of whipping, although it may take more or less time for you.

The next time you want to make an impressive dessert (for Valentine’s Day, perhaps), you’ve got to try this Easy Baked Alaska. Just make sure your kitchen torch is in good working order before you start. 🙂

Equipment and Supplies for Easy Baked Alaska

• 9×5 bread pan
• small metal cookie sheet
• plastic wrap
• hand mixer or stand mixer
• kitchen torch

Ingredients for Easy Baked Alaska

• ice cream sandwiches
• ice cream
• egg whites
• sugar
• cream of tartar

Want to use home made ice cream in your Easy Baked Alaska! I recommend Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl, Mint Lover’s, or Strawberry Dark Chocolate Ice Cream.

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Easy Baked Alaska

Prep Time

4 hrs

 

Forget the hours and hours it takes to make Baked Alaska! Make this Easy (Cheater) Baked Alaska instead for an impressive dessert everyone will love!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8

Author: Melissa Howell

Ingredients

• 8 ice cream sandwiches, any flavor
• 1/2 (1.5 qt.) container ice cream, softened, any flavor
• 3 egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 pinch cream of tartar

Instructions

1. Line the inside of a large (9x5) bread pan with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap goes to the top.

2. Place ice cream sandwiches close together in the bottom of the pan. Cut them to fit if necessary.

3. Spoon the softened ice cream over the top of the ice cream sandwiches and smooth it out. (You may not need 1/2 of the container. Just put in as much as you would like).

4. Add another layer of ice cream sandwiches on top of the ice cream, cutting them to fit if necessary.

5. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for several hours (at least 3) until the center layer of ice cream has firmed up.

6. When ready to complete the Baked Alaska, make your meringue by adding the 3 egg whites to a stand mixer and using the whisk attachment to beat on high speed until egg whites are frothy.

7. Add the pinch of cream of tartar and continue to whip while gradually adding the 1/2 cup of sugar.

8. Continue to whip until meringue is glossy and reaches stiff-peak consistency.

9. Remove the ice cream cake from the freezer. Take plastic wrap off the top, then invert onto a metal cookie sheet and remove the remaining plastic wrap.

10. Spread the meringue all over the cake, making sure to seal the bottom of the cake to the cookie sheet. Use a spoon to make swirls and peaks with the meringue.

11. Use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue. Serve immediately, or place back into the freezer, uncovered (or very lightly covered with plastic wrap) before serving.

Pin this fun infographic!

Did you see my Easy Home Made Filled Chocolates? They’d be another great Valentine’s Day treat or gift!