Chocolate Lovers Baked Alaska Recipe. It’s time to pull out your kitchen torches, everyone will be lining up for this dessert! Even my son who isn't into chocolate could not resist this sweet treat, I promise, people can't resist. This is every chocolate lover's dream.
This is a layered dessert, and not the most simple one you will make, but I promise it is worth it. Plus with a few simple steps that I am sharing, it won't be nearly as hard as you might think it is!
Ingredients
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Vanilla
- All-purpose flour
- Whole wheat flour
- Cocoa powder
- Salt
- Dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips
- Butter
Components of baked Alaska
There are 3 components to a Baked Alaska:
- The Brownie Base- not just any brownie. This is my favorite recipe and it is a dark chocolate, fudgy dream!!
- Ice Cream Center- This is the largest part of the cake, so make sure it is good! I will give my recommendations below but use whatever type of ice cream is your favorite. If you are feeling adventurous, make your own!
- Toasted Meringue Topping- This didn't use to be an essential part of my baked Alaska experience, but it has made its way up the list. I love the toasted meringue!
Brownie Base
We will start with the base and move up. I used a 6-inch round cake pan for the base. Whatever size you use, make sure it fits the bowl you are using for the ice cream form. The ice cream dome will sit right on top of the brownie base, so make sure the bowl and pan fit together.
This is one of my favorite brownie recipes. It is rich, thick, fudgy, delicious, and everything you would hope a brownie would be! Although it is a few extra steps than a boxed mix, this recipe is well worth it.
If you prefer, you can always buy a mixed brownie mix, but I promise you won't go back after making this recipe.
I love using bittersweet chocolate in this recipe. It gives the best depth of chocolate flavor you are looking for in a brownie. If you prefer, you can always use a semi-sweet, but I don't think I would do milk chocolate. I love Ghiradelli Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bars.
Bake and allow it to cool just slightly.
Ice cream dome
Our family’s favorite chocolate ice cream is Tillamook’s Mudslide. No, this is not a paid advertisement, just a genuine love of a product. I recommend using whichever chocolate flavor you like the best.
To form the ice cream, get a bowl with a 6” wide lip on it. You want to be able to fit your brownie base right on top of the bowl.
Line your bowl with plastic wrap scoop your softened ice cream inside and press the ice cream down. This should form a dome inside of the plastic-wrapped bowl.
Take your brownie base and set it right at the opening of the bowl, pressing them together carefully to form one unit. Put into the freezer and freeze for 3-4 hours, until it is good and solid.
The marshmallow meringue
On to the meringue. One thing to know about meringue is to start with a clean bowl, utensils, and beaters. You don't want any fat in the egg whites at all or they won't form that beautiful meringue you are looking for.
First, you will heat up your egg whites and sugar over a pot of simmering water. Use a metal or glass bowl and set it over the pan of boiling water.
Whisk your egg whites and sugar over the water until the sugar dissolves. Mine took about 3 minutes. Pull it off and either in a hand mixer, or a stand mixer, whip on high until it forms beautiful stiff peaks. This will take several minutes, so be patient.
Putting it all together
After your meringue is finished, pull your ice cream and brownie base out of the freezer. Invert it onto whatever you decide to serve it on, a plate or cake stand will do. Take the plastic wrap off and spread your meringue over top of the ice cream dome. You can see this in the video.
Now for the fun part, I use a kitchen torch to toast my meringue. You can also toast it in the oven under the broiler, I have found doing it this way melts my ice cream more than I like.
For this last photo below, I wanted to get a smoke shot. I charred the meringue a little more than I normally would. It gave the perfect little puff of smoke! It also turns out it is really good toasting it like this!
More Recipes For Chocolate Lovers
If chocolate is your thing, like it is mine, let me share a few more recipes I think you will like!
- How about these Dark Chocolate Disks?
- This Dark Chocolate Bark is just as easy!
- Or how about a Dark Chocolate and Almond Tart? You will love this.
- Chocolate Baked Donut?
Chocolate Lovers Baked Alaska Recipe
Equipment
- 8-inch cake pan, round bowl for ice cream form, hand or stand mixer
Ingredients
Brownie Base
- 2 eggs, room temp
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup chopped dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoons butter
Ice cream
- ½ gallon ice cream of choice I used Tillamook mudslide
Marshmallow Meringue
- 4 egg whites room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Brownie Base
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prep a 6-inch pan by spraying with pan release or softened butter. In a small bowl, mix the flours, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.In a small pan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat. Stir constantly to keep the chocolate from burning. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.In a medium-sized bowl, add the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat with a hand mixer for about 2-3 minutes until the eggs are light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and mix to combine.Pour the chocolate/butter into the eggs while mixing. Last, add in the dry ingredients and mix only to combine. Pour batter into pan.Bake for about 25-35 minutes. Remove and allow to cool about 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out carefully onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool about 30 minutes.
Ice Cream Bowl
- Soften ice cream slightly. You will need a bowl that has a 6-inch opening. You will add the brownie base with the ice cream, so the bowl and 6-inch brownie need to fit together. Line the bowl with plastic wrap. Then scoop the ice cream into the bowl and press firmly to make sure it fills the bowl and there aren't gaps. If the brownie is cool enough press it on the top of the ice cream and move both to the freezer. Let these freeze until they are solid, at least 4 hours, but even longer is better.
Meringue
- Heat water in a pan. You will need a bowl that will sit just above the water for making the meringue. Add the egg whites and sugar to a metal or glass bowl. Whisk and cook for about 3 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the bowl from the water and set it aside. You can whip your egg whites with either a hand mixer or a stand mixer. Stand by mixing it on low for about 2-3 minutes. This is to cool the meringue. Once the time has passed, turn the mixer to medium and whip for about a minute or so. Add your cream of tartar, then mix on high for at least 6 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last 30 seconds of mixing. Now, remove your cake and ice cream from the freezer. Place it on your serving plate. Spread generously with the meringue and torch right away. I like to stack more on top as it will start to melt as soon as you put it on. It is delicious served right away or place back in the freezer and take a slice when you are ready. Now, sit back and enjoy. You surely deserve it!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!