Mary Berry’s Baked Alaska is made with double cream, milk, a vanilla pod, free-range egg yolks, caster sugar, egg whites, and cherry jam, along with a ready-made sponge cake. This delicious Baked Alaska recipe creates a tasty dessert that takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 8 people.
Ingredients Needed
For the vanilla ice cream:
- 300ml/½ pint double cream
- 300ml/½ pint milk
- 1 vanilla pod (soft and fresh)
- 3 free-range egg yolks
- 100g/3½oz caster sugar
For the meringue:
- 3 free-range egg whites
- 175g/6oz caster sugar
To assemble:
- 2-3 tbsp cherry jam
- 20cm/8in circle ready-made sponge cake about 2.5cm/1in thick
How To Make Baked Alaska
- Prepare the vanilla ice cream: Pour the cream and milk into a heavy-based saucepan. Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds; add both seeds and pod to the pan. Heat the mixture until just below boiling point, then remove from heat. Set aside for an hour to cool and let the vanilla infuse. Discard the vanilla pod.
- Make the custard: Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale and thick. Slowly whisk in one-quarter of the cream mixture. Reheat the remaining cream mixture until just boiling, then gradually whisk it into the egg mixture. Pour this mixture into a clean saucepan and cook gently, stirring continuously until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (do not let it boil). Let the custard cool, then cover and chill it in the fridge overnight.
- Churn the ice cream: Pour the cooled custard into an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until thick and smooth. Spoon into a freezer container and freeze until needed.
- Prepare the meringue: Whisk the egg whites in a large, clean bowl until stiff peaks form. Gradually whisk in the sugar, whisking well after each addition, until the mixture is glossy with stiff peaks.
- Assemble the Alaska: Spread the cherry jam over the sponge cake circle. Arrange scoops of ice cream in a pyramid shape on top, leaving a 1.5cm/½in border. Spoon the meringue all over the ice cream, ensuring there are no gaps, and use the back of a spoon to create a swirl pattern. Freeze the Alaska until needed.
- Bake the Alaska: Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Bake the Alaska for 8-10 minutes until golden-brown.
Recipe Tips
- Chill the mixture: Always chill the custard overnight; this allows the flavors to develop and helps the ice cream churn better.
- Don’t rush the meringue: Whisk the egg whites slowly at first and gradually add sugar to create a stable, glossy meringue.
- Seal the edges: When spreading the meringue over the ice cream, make sure to seal the edges well to prevent the ice cream from leaking out during baking.
- Watch the baking time: Keep an eye on the Baked Alaska while it’s in the oven; it can go from golden to burnt quickly. Aim for a light golden color.
How To Store Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: First, let the leftover Baked Alaska Alaska cool to room temperature. Then, wrap it loosely in plastic wrap or foil and store it in the fridge. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: To store it for longer, wrap the Baked Alaska tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. You can freeze it for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to serve, thaw it in the fridge for several hours or overnight before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 slice (about 1/12 of the recipe)
- Calories: 362
- Total Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Cholesterol: 93mg
- Sodium: 121mg
- Potassium: 134mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 44g
- Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Sugars: 27g
- Protein: 6g
Try More Mary Berry Recipes:
- Mary Berry Madeleine Recipe
- Mary Berry Potato Salad
- Mary Berry Parmesan Biscuits
- Mary Berry Mincemeat Muffins
Mary Berry Baked Alaska
Description
Mary Berry’s Baked Alaska is made with double cream, milk, a vanilla pod, free-range egg yolks, caster sugar, egg whites, and cherry jam, along with a ready-made sponge cake. This delicious Baked Alaska recipe creates a tasty dessert that takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 8 people.
Ingredients
For the vanilla ice cream:
For the meringue:
To assemble:
Instructions
- Prepare the vanilla ice cream: Pour the cream and milk into a heavy-based saucepan. Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds; add both seeds and pod to the pan. Heat the mixture until just below boiling point, then remove from heat. Set aside for an hour to cool and let the vanilla infuse. Discard the vanilla pod.
- Make the custard: Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale and thick. Slowly whisk in one-quarter of the cream mixture. Reheat the remaining cream mixture until just boiling, then gradually whisk it into the egg mixture. Pour this mixture into a clean saucepan and cook gently, stirring continuously until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (do not let it boil). Let the custard cool, then cover and chill it in the fridge overnight.
- Churn the ice cream: Pour the cooled custard into an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until thick and smooth. Spoon into a freezer container and freeze until needed.
- Prepare the meringue: Whisk the egg whites in a large, clean bowl until stiff peaks form. Gradually whisk in the sugar, whisking well after each addition, until the mixture is glossy with stiff peaks.
- Assemble the Alaska: Spread the cherry jam over the sponge cake circle. Arrange scoops of ice cream in a pyramid shape on top, leaving a 1.5cm/½in border. Spoon the meringue all over the ice cream, ensuring there are no gaps, and use the back of a spoon to create a swirl pattern. Freeze the Alaska until needed.
- Bake the Alaska: Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Bake the Alaska for 8-10 minutes until golden-brown.
Notes
- Chill the mixture: Always chill the custard overnight; this allows the flavors to develop and helps the ice cream churn better.
- Don’t rush the meringue: Whisk the egg whites slowly at first and gradually add sugar to create a stable, glossy meringue.
- Seal the edges: When spreading the meringue over the ice cream, make sure to seal the edges well to prevent the ice cream from leaking out during baking.
- Watch the baking time: Keep an eye on the Baked Alaska while it’s in the oven; it can go from golden to burnt quickly. Aim for a light golden color.
Mary Berry Baked Alaska