Whoever was paying attention in physics class knows that hot and cold don’t always go well together. But that’s not the case in the Strawberry Baked Alaska. And if you’ve always wondered how it’s possible to bake a scoop of ice cream in the oven without it melting, the answer is — science! Try it for yourself.
Strawberry Baked Alaska
Equipment
- Small square baking pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2.6 oz flour
- 2.6 oz cocoa powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 8.8 oz dark couverture chocolate, melted
- 7 oz butter, melted
- 3 egg whites
- 1/2 cup sugar
- strawberry ice cream
- fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Beat the sugar and eggs together until the mixture is frothy, before adding the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Whisk all the ingredients together into a dough. Next, add the couverture chocolate and the butter and mix again.
- Spread the mixture out in a small square baking pan and bake for 15 minutes at 360°F.
- Cut a round portion out of the finished chocolate cake base and place it on a plate.
- To make the meringue, whisk the egg whites until they are frothy and then add the sugar. Then beat the mixture until it is stiff.
- Press a strawberry into a scoop of strawberry ice cream and then place the ice cream on the slice of chocolate cake.
- Completely cover the ice cream and the cake base with meringue. Then bake it for 15 minutes at 360°F.
VIDEO
It feels like it defies all reason, but when your spoon breaks the warm layer of crunchy meringue, you should find the ice cream still cold and solid inside. So how does it work? The air trapped in the meringue means it acts as insulating foam, protecting the ice cream from the heat of the oven. If you’re not interested in the scientific explanation, you can still enjoy this wonderful hot and cold dessert! And if you haven’t had your fill, check out our deep fried ice cream Hot Vanilla Delight!