Baked Chocolate Alaska

I promised it and here it is!! A great dessert!!! Stressful the first time you make it.... How is it that the ice cream doesn't melt in a 500F oven??? The answer is quite simple. The piped meringue serves as insulation against the heat.

The traditional Alaska is ice cream on top of a cake base, covered with a meringue. You then have two choices...The 500F oven or the culinary torch. I picked the oven, and changed the base for the dessert. I replaced the cake base by my usual Chocolate Crust. It is faster to prepare and adds a nice crunchiness to the dessert.

I love chocolate, so of course I chose chocolate ice cream. Home made chocolate ice cream (you'll find the link to that recipe below). But you may change the flavors, choose two different flavors...It is all up to you!

Baked Chocolate Alaska

Serves12



Crust:
1 package Nabisco Chocolate wafers
1/2 cup butter, melted

One recipe Chocolate Ice Cream (may be prepared ahead)

Swiss Meringue:
8 large egg whites
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract


Prepare the crust:
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Place the chocolate wafers in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until fine crumb.
Transfer to a medium bowl and add the melted butter. Mix well until butter is sompletely incorporated.
Transfer to the bottom of a metal pie dish with removable bottom. Press hard until crust is compact.
Bake for about 8 minutes, until fragrant.
Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Chocolate ice Cream:
Prepare the chocolate ice cream according to recipe directions and churn. After churning, transfer to a round bowl lined with plastic wrap and freeze. When frozen, cover top with plastic wrap as well.

Swiss meringue:
Fill the bottom of a medium saucepan with water and bring to a simmer.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the egg whites with the sugar and the cream of tartar. Place over the saucepan and whisk constantly until the sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch, about 3 minutes. To check if the sugar is completely dissolved, rub the whites between your fingers.
Transfer the bowl to the electric mixer stand  fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip on low speed. Increase the speed gradually to high and keep whipping until the whites are shiny and form stiff peaks, about 10 minutes.
Add the vanilla and mix until combined.
Use immediately.

Assemble:
Turn the ice cream over on the pie crust, round side up.
Using a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe the meringue on the ice cream, starting at the base. You really have to make sure that you seal the ice cream in, first at the base and then all around. Remember...It will go in a really hot oven!!
Sprinkle a tablespoon of cocoa through a sieve on top of the meringue.
Once you are done with the meringue, place the Alaska in the freezer until ready to serve.

Before serving, heat the oven to 500F.
Place the frozen Alaska in the oven and bake for about 3 to 5 minutes, until meringue is golden.
You may achieve the same result with a culinary torch instead of baking the dessert.




You can also make individual desserts following the same steps. I would definitely use a torch tough to brown the meringue!

Swiss meringue

And here is another basic for baking. The quantities below are for a Baked Alaska. Feel free to divide it in half for smaller endeavors!

8 large egg whites

1 1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Fill the bottom of a medium saucepan with water and bring to a simmer.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the egg whites with the sugar and the cream of tartar. Place over the saucepan and whisk constantly until the sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch, about 3 minutes. To check if the sugar is completely dissolved, rub the whites between your fingers.

Transfer the bowl to the electric mixer stand  fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip on low speed. Increase the speed gradually to high and keep whipping until the whites are shiny and form stiff peaks, about 10 minutes.

Add the vanilla and mix until combined.

Use immediately.

Chocolate pie crust

I have used this crust for years, from the Frozen Chocolate Pie to the Chocolate Baked Alaska, even as a base for the Raspberry Tartlets.
You may either use it as one regular pie crust or divide it equally among several smaller dishes for individual desserts.

Chocolate Pie Crust

1 package Nabisco Chocolate wafers

1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Place the chocolate wafers in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until fine crumb.

Transfer to a medium bowl and add the melted butter. Mix well until butter is sompletely incorporated.

Transfer to the bottom of a metal pie dish with removable bottom. Press hard until crust is compact.

Bake for about 8 minutes, until fragrant.

Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Lemon Beurre Blanc

Lemon Beurre Blanc

1/2 cup white wine

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/4 cup lemon juice

In a medium saucepan, bring the wine and garlic to a boil.

Add the cream.

Add the butter, one piece at a time, whisking constantly. Each piece must have completely melted before you add the next one. 

Whisk in the lemon juice.

The sauce is ready to serve.

Note: 

If you want to make the Beurre Blanc ahead, you may refrigerate it and reheat on really low heat, whisking all the time.

Panko Crusted Salmon with a Lemon Beurre Blanc

What better excuse than Good Friday to eat fish?
As we were driving back from a really nice visit with Bob's parents - and including a couple of college visits for Julie - we had plenty of time to figure out what kind of fish we wanted and how to prepare it...We just wanted something different.
Salmon was our choice...but "how?" was still being debated as we approached the Cape!
I have made salmon with seasoned butters, grilled salmon...but had never tried a crusted fish. There it was...Salmon in a seasoned Panko crust.

Panko Crusted Salmon 

with a Lemon Beurre Blanc

Serves 6


1 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup regular breadcrumbs
Zest of 2 lemons (reserve the juices)
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
2 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
1/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp white wine

One 2.5 Lbs Salmon fillet, preferably wild, skin on, cut into 6 pieces

One recipe Lemon Beurre Blanc




Preheat the oven to 425F.

Mix in a bowl the first 5 ingredients with a fork. Drizzle the olive oil, still mixing well with the fork, until breadcrumbs are well coated.

Mix the mustard and white wine together in a small bowl.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and coat with 1 Tbsp olive oil.

Place the pieces of salmon on the prepared sheet pan, skin side down. Brush the top with the mustard mixture. Top with the prepared breadcrumbs.

Bake for 10 minutes and serve immediately with either rice or quinoa and a Lemon Beurre Blanc, on the side (if you serve the sauce on top of the fish, the crumbs will be less crunchy).

Chocolate Ice Cream

This year for Easter I want to try a new dessert...Chocolate Baked Alaska...And the first step to Alaska....is the ice cream. And I love a dark chocolaty flavor...here it is!

Chocolate Ice Cream

Makes 1 1/2 quarts


3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cup milk
8 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
12 oz bittersweet chocolate


Melt the chocolate in a small sauce pan over hot water. When melted, set aside.

In a large bowl, place ice cubes and water to make an ice water bath. Set a smaller bowl on the water.

Mix the cream and milk in a large saucepan. Heat until hot but not boiling, about 2-3 minutes.
Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the egg yolks, sugar and salt on high speed until light an fluffy and tripled in volume.
Reduce the speed to medium and pour about 1/2 cup of the hot cream/milk mixture to temper the eggs. When well combined, transfer back to the cream/milk saucepan and cook until an instant-read thermometer reads 180F. The mixture should have thickened and will coat the back of a wooden spoon.
Stir in the melted chocolate. Mix it in well...slowly.

Pour the custard through a sieve into the top bowl of the ice water bath. Let cool, stirring often.

When completely cooled and cold, transfer to your ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions.

You can keep in an airtight container in the freezer for a couple of weeks. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before using.

Charlotte au Chocolat et a la Vanille

I started this post a while ago, but only managed to finish it today!!!
This is a perfect dessert for Easter! Enjoy.

**********

It was a good thing that I had so much free time in early February that I could and did post a few recipes!!! I certainly rested after that!!!

I met with friends today to talk about blogs...! And of course it did come up that my last post was on February 5th........

Well, it was not entirely my fault!
First I had to get ready for my mother, my sister and her three dear children's arrival...That meant cleaning the house entirely (or to be true, supervise my three children clean their side of the house!), getting all the beds ready...
Then I had to get ready for our awesome cruise! Yes!! For the first time in my life I went on the cruise! Not alone of course, but with the entire Steven clan! All 16 of us!
It was incredible! From San Juan, PR, to St. George's, Grenada. Weather, food, cocktails and of course company were wonderful!
We are back to New England now, in the cold, but luckily no more snow!!!

You will certainly enjoy this recipe...a chocolate mousse topped by a vanilla mousse...in a Charlotte!!!Impressive looking, delicious tasting and a lot easier to make that it sounds...or is it? You tell me! The inspiration for this dessert is a Charlotte I bought in Paris at LeNotre bakery on the Avenue de la Grande Armee...This is my adaptation of it!

Chocolate and Vanilla Charlotte

Serves 8



Half a recipe for Chocolate mousse

Vanilla Mousse:
One recipe for Vanilla Pastry cream
2 cups heavy cream
2 1/2 gelatin sheets


24 dry Lady finger cookies (I like the ones from Trader Joe's)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 Tbsp liqueur


In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, until syrupy. Add the liqueur.


Line the bottom and sides of the charlotte mold with parchment paper. Dip the lady fingers in the syrup and line the bottom and sides of the prepared mold.


Pour the chocolate mousse in the pan, half way up. Refrigerate for about one hour, until it sets.


Remove charlotte from the fridge and add the vanilla mousse. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.




Notes:
* You may add a layer of Chocolate sauce between the chocolate and vanilla mousses:


70 g Sugar (2.5oz)
25 g cocoa powder (1oz)
3 Tbsp heavy cream


In a small saucepan, bring 4 Tbsp water to a boil, with the sugar and cocoa powder. 
In another small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Add to the chocolate saucepan and bring the mixture back to a boil, mixing. Remove from the heat and let cool. When cooled, pour over chocolate mousse. Let set in fridge before adding the vanilla mousse.

Chocolate mousse

This is another recipe that I use a lot as base for other desserts. It is also great alone!!!


2 cups whipping cream, very cold
10 oz bittersweet chocolate


In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk, whip the cream until firm, but still soft (do not over beat it).
In a bowl, melt the chocolate on top of a double boiler.
When melted, add to the whipped cream and mix well.
Set aside.

Vanilla Pastry Cream

This pastry cream is the base of a lot of my desserts. 


2 cups of milk
6 large egg yolks
1/3 cup of sugar
1/3 cup corn starch
1 vanilla bean (or 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
3 Tbsp butter


Boil the milk with the vanilla bean (cut lengthwise and scraped).

In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the eggs with the sugar and the cornstarch until light and fluffy.
Add about 1/2 cup of hot milk to temper the yolks and prevent them from cooking. Add the remaining of the milk. Transfer back to saucepan and cook until thickened, whisking constantly. Turn the heat off.
Add the butter. When it has melted, set aside and refrigerate.


You can flavor this cream with chocolate (see Chocolate Pastry Cream recipe), or with orange blossom flavor, or any liquor you like!


NOTES:
For the Piece Montee (125 puffs), I made the recipe with 12 cups of milk. I had a cup for cream left, so don't be shy whem filling the puffs. For Emilie's Graduation, I flavored the cream with Cognac.

Strawberry and Rhubarb Crisp

We are in April and I just got back from soccer practice..... It is still so cold that I was wearing my big winter puffy down jacket and my winter hat with the ear things ...!?!
All that made me think of a real spring...with temps in the 70s and the flowers blooming... and the first strawberries...Like when I was growing up in France. And rhubarb.

Our friend Marie-Anne used to grow rhubarb in her yard...or should I say on her farm!!! The kids always called "Le Pic", the name of the estate, the Farm! There were rabbits, hens and roosters, even a horse and donkeys! And the rhubarbs that transformed pies into something ...so...unique. Marie-Anne would make simple pies with a crust and the rhubarb on top, with sugar of course! Simple and so very delicious! I tried to make it... but unsuccessfully.

I have however made this dessert with strawberries and rhubarb...the two flavors just compliment each other... the delicate sweetness of the berry and the rustic tartness of the rhubarb...

But did you know??? Rhubarb can be poisonous!!  ... only if eaten uncooked!!! No danger here though!

Strawberry and Rhubarb Crisp

serves 10



Topping:
3/4 cup pecan halves
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/2 tsp grated orange zest
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature


Filling:
1/1/2 lb rhubarb
2 cups strawberries, stemmed
3 tbsp flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract



Topping:
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Spread the pecan halves on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Set aside.
Raise oven temperature to 375 F (190C).
Place the cooled nuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse until nuts are chopped into medium bits, but not powdered. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
In another bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, brown sugar, orange zest and nutmeg.
Transfer this mixture and the butter to the food processor and pulse until it starts to come together. Add the nuts and pulse 3 or 4 more times to distribute evenly. Set aside.

Filling:
Trim the tough end and leaves from the rhubarb stalks and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place in a bowl with the strawberries, the flour, the sugar and the vanilla. Toss until well mixed.
Place the fruits in a baking dish and sprinkle with the topping.

Bake for about 35 minutes, until bubbling around the edges.
Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.