Baked Alaska

My own recipes will return in a few days, but I had to post one of our most favorite desserts. Alan and I love baked Alaska. The first time we ate it was on a very special date we had at a very expensive restaurant in Philadelphia in August 1965 -- it was to celebrate our engagement.

For dessert Alan order us baked Alaska. I had never had it. He had, and it was one of those dishes they flamed at the table.

Well, on our recent cruise they served baked Alaska, but because of fire concerns they didn't flame it at the table. They either broiled it or singed it with one of those torches chefs are using these days.

Baked Alaska is a thin lay of yellow cake topped with Neapolitan ice cream (they use a one gallon block). Then all that is coated with a very stiff meringue. The meringue, in a real baked Alaska (thus the name) is baked at a very high temperature for five minutes, just enough to brown the meringue. The ice cream is frozen very cold, so it doesn't melt while the meringue is being browned.

The result is a wonderful dessert, and I'm slobbering just thinking about it. No dessert for me tonight. I'm off to bed. I will be back in full force, I hope, later in the week. I need to get over my vacation. !!!!!

ttnf