“You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth.”
– Louise Erdrich
NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It’s my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian ‘Quote Cup’ passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, along with an update and photos of what has been going on in our lives. I love trying new recipes…and love getting recipes you would like to share!
We celebrated our anniversary last week with our ‘anniversary buddies’ who got married the same day we did 53 years ago. What made it even more fun was that John and Beata arrived in their new Audi convertible!
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
We went to The Oceanaire Seafood Room for our anniversary, and their signature celebration dessert is Baked Alaska. Our son asked for it once for his birthday dinner more than 15 years ago, but I never published a photo or recipe and haven’t made it since. The photos below are from our anniversary dinner, and the recipe is from House of Nash Eats. I haven’t used this recipe, but thought it looked good. Click through to her site to see more detailed instructions, use whatever kind of cake and ice cream that suits your fancy.
BAKED ALASKA
recipe from House of Nash Eats
ICE CREAM
- 2 (1.5-quart) containers ice cream, any flavor
Line a freezer-safe bowl with an 8-inch diameter with a couple layers of plastic wrap to make it easy to remove the ice cream later on. Scoop slightly softened ice cream into the bowl, pressing it in firmly to push out any air gaps. Add another layer of contrasting ice cream on top of the first, pressing it into another even layer.
BROWNIE OPTION
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a round 8-inch cake pan with a parchment paper circle and spray with baking spray.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy and light. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing well until combined. Stir in the flour and cocoa powder.
Bake brownie layer for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with just a few crumbs. Let cool completely.
MERINGUE
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Combine egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in a large glass bowl set over a medium saucepan of simmering water. This is called a bain-marie. The bottom of the bowl should not be touching the water.
Cook, whisking constantly, for about 5 minutes until the mixture reaches 160°F to dissolve the sugar. You should be able to rub the mixture together between your fingers without feeling sugar granules.
Remove the bowl from over the water and beat the egg whites on high speed with an electric mixer for 5-7 minutes until glossy stiff peaks form. Add vanilla extract during the last minute of mixing.
Spread the meringue over the ice cream, using a spoon or knife to create peaks and swirls for interest and extra toasting surface. Toast the meringue with a brulee torch or broil in the oven about 12 inches from the broiler for 1-2 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Storage: Keep any uneaten baked Alaska in the freezer, covered loosely with plastic wrap, for up to 4-5 days. I like to press the plastic wrap against the sliced, exposed portion so the cake doesn’t dry out and the ice cream doesn’t get ice crystals on it.
- Favorite Flavor Combos:
- Vanilla cake with cherry and pistachio ice cream
- Chocolate cake with strawberry and cookie dough ice cream
- Spice cake with butter pecan and pumpkin ice cream
- Funfetti cake with cookies & cream and vanilla ice cream
- Brownie base with peppermint and vanilla or chocolate ice cream
- Strawberry cake with rocky road and toasted almond ice cream
- Brownie base with mint chip and fudge brownie ice cream
