Raspberry Rhubarb and Chocolate Baked Alaska

As a little girl,I had my favourite ice cream flavours and choices like most other children. Generally, restaurants we went to had a frozen dessert called Cassata on the menu which is the one I would always ask for. I later on figured out that it was inspired by the Cassata Siciliana, a true Italian beauty. The bright colours of the ice-cream layers and candied fruit would of course appeal to any child. When I grew up, the pastry chef in me was totally drawn to the layered structure and anatomy of the Italian classic. Perhaps you might have guessed by now that I find the whole layer thing of a cake or dessert very exciting. Then I came across the Baked Alaska. Though this one was a layered ice-cream cake too, the components were different. More specifically, it had a meringue coating. So this one naturally ranked high among my list of favourites. To make and to eat. And most of all, the reveal…as you slice through it’s very core.

The traditional Baked Alaska has a layer of sponge housing one or two layers of ice-cream and covered all around with uncooked meringue. The cake is frozen till it is hard so it can withstand a few minutes in the oven while the meringue is being toasted. The fascinating thing is that the ice-cream does not melt as the sponge and meringue prevents the heat from reaching the centre.  So scientific and interesting, isn’t it?  My version is a slightly simpler. The layers are one on top of the other, then covered in meringue which is then browned with a blow torch.

The bottom layer is my go-to chocolate cake recipe. I have used half the batter for this cake. You could bake the other half and freeze it for later use. The recipe is quite a flexible one so you can make your favourite chocolate cake recipe or a ready mix or a store bought cake as well. The next layer is a rhubarb-raspberry sorbet that has been on my mind since last summer. The topmost layer is a raspberry and pistachio semifreddo. So you can see that you do not need to take out your ice-cream machine to make this. The individual layers can be made way ahead and assembled the night before you plan to serve it. I have used used a swiss meringue to cover the dessert for stability but you could go with any meringue recipe you are comfortable with. I have got the dome shape from an old plastic pudding container in which I made this. A round cake pan would just work as well.

Needless to say, all the individual elements of this dessert can be made independently as a stand alone dessert. They are as delicious together as much as they are by themselves.

 

 

Raspberry Rhubarb and Chocolate Baked Alaska
Serves 8-10

For the chocolate cake (we will be using half the batter for this recipe)

1 cup self-raising flour, sifted
2 tablespoons plain flour, sifted
1 1/3  cups, firmly packed) brown sugar
3/4 cup milk
125 g butter, cubed
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, sifted
3 eggs, lightly whisked

Preheat oven to 160 degree C. Grease the base and sides two 15 cm round cake pan and line the base with non stick baking paper.

Place the two flours together in a bowl. Place the sugar, milk and butter in a large saucepan. Add the cocoa and bicarbonate of soda into the pan. Place the pan over medium-low heat and use a whisk to stir until the mixture is smooth (don’t boil the mixture). Remove the pan from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.

Add the flour mixture in slow additions gradually whisking to mix. Add the eggs and continue to mix till well combined. Pour into the prepared oan. Smooth surface with the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of a cake comes out clean. Set aside for 10 minutes before turning the cakes onto a wire rack.

For the Raspberry-Pistachio Semifreddo
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 cup thickened/heavy  cream, whipped
1/4 cup pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped
1 cup frozen raspberries

To make the semifreddo :  Grease a 6cm-deep, 15 cm round cake pan or pudding basin/mold. Line with baking paper, allowing a 5cm overhang on both long ends.
Place eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water over low heat. Whisk for 4 to 5 minutes or until thick and creamy. Remove from heat. Whisk for 4 to 5 minutes or until cool.

Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Gently fold in cream, pistachio and raspberries. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Cover and freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

For the Raspberry-Rhubarb Sorbet
250 g rhubarb, washed, trimmed and roughly chopped into chunks
250 g raspberries (fresh or frozen, I used frozen)
1 cup castor sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
1 cup water

Place rhubarb, raspberries, sugar, lemon juice and water in a pan and gently cook until soft, around 15-20 minutes.
Allow to cool then blend mixture to smooth in a food processor.
Freeze in an air tight container stirring every hour to prevent ice crystals forming until set, around 4 hours.
Thaw for 30 minutes and spoon on top of the Semifreddo.

For the Meringue
3 egg whites
3/4 cup castot sugar
cream of tartar, a pinch

To make the meringue, place the egg-whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl that is placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk continuously till the sugar dissolves (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and whip up the mixture with a electric or hand mixer to stiff peaks.

To Assemble, turn the frozen semifreddo-sorbet once it is solid, onto the cake and firmly press together. Place this back into the freezer for a couple of hours. Just before serving, remove from freezer and coat with meringue. Using a blow torch, brown the meringue all over. Top with berries. Serve. The Baked Alaska will be rock solid so it is best to wait a for 10 minutes before slicing it.