Preheat oven to 500°F. Bake until meringue is golden brown, watching closely to avoid overbrowning, about 3 minutes. Transfer to platter and serve.
Instead of the traditional layer of sponge cake, this baked Alaska gets two delicious layers of buttery, amaretti-espresso crust. And instead of one ice cream, it has two: purchased toasted almond and coffee, which are molded and frozen into a “bombe” using a 10-cup bowl. 10 to 12 servings
Sauce
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
½ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons brandy, divided
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
1½ teaspoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
Crust and Ice Cream Layers
2 cups coarsely broken amaretti cookies (Italian macaroons; about 4 ounces)
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 pints toasted almond ice cream
2 pints coffee ice cream
Meringue
6 large egg whites, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
SAUCE: Combine sugar, cream, butter, 2 tablespoons brandy, corn syrup, and espresso powder in medium saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and boil until sauce is thickened and reduced to 1 cup, whisking often, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; cool 15 minutes. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon brandy. Transfer to microwave-safe bowl.
CRUST AND ICE CREAM LAYERS: Grind amaretti, almonds, and espresso powder in processor. Add melted butter and 1 tablespoon sauce. Blend just until crumbs cling together.
Line 10-inch-diameter, 3½-inch-deep bowl (10-cup capacity) with plastic wrap, leaving generous overhang. Slightly soften almond ice cream in microwave on defrost setting in 10-second intervals. Spoon into bowl. Spread ice cream in even layer over bottom and up sides of bowl, leaving hollow center. Freeze 15 minutes. Sprinkle ⅔ cup crust mixture over ice cream and press gently. Slightly soften coffee ice cream in microwave on defrost setting in 10-second intervals. Spoon into hollow center of almond ice cream; smooth top. Press remaining crust mixture over ice cream. Cover with plastic. Freeze at least 3 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen. Cover and chill remaining sauce.
MERINGUE: Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and vanilla in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until meringue is stiff, about 5 minutes.
Uncover bombe. Place 11-inch-diameter tart pan bottom on crust. Turn bombe over. Remove bowl; peel off plastic wrap. Spread meringue thickly over ice cream, swirling decoratively and sealing meringue to tart pan bottom. Freeze bombe uncovered at least 4 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.
Preheat oven to 500°F for 20 minutes. Rewarm sauce in microwave; transfer to pitcher. Place large rack on baking sheet. Place bombe on rack. Bake until meringue is pale golden but dark brown in spots, about 4 minutes; transfer to platter. Let stand 5 minutes.
Dipping heavy large knife into very hot water before each slice, cut baked Alaska into wedges. Serve with sauce.Recipe Tip: That NameFood historians can agree that baked Alaska was created in the 19th century, but that’s where the consensus ends. Some believe the dessert, which was encased in pastry instead of meringue, was first served by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 or created by a Chinese chef visiting Paris around the middle of the 19th century. Others credit scientist Benjamin Thompson, who studied the insulating powers of egg whites. Another school of thought says that the dessert was named at Delmonico’s restaurant in New York in the 1870s and was an homage to the District of Alaska.
These rich, creamy shakes have twice the strawberry flavor: from the ice cream, and from a fresh-strawberry syrup, which is blended in and then also drizzled on top. Makes 4
2 pints strawberry ice cream, slightly softened, divided
1 cup Strawberry Syrup (see recipe)
1 cup whole milkAdditional Strawberry Syrup
4 whole strawberries with stems (optional)
Freeze four 12-ounce glasses 1 hour.
Place 1 pint ice cream, 1 cup Strawberry Syrup, and milk in blender; puree until smooth. Add second pint of ice cream and puree until almost smooth. Divide shake among frozen glasses. Drizzle each with additional Strawberry Syrup, garnish with strawberry, if desired, and serve with spoons and straws.
You’ll have plenty of syrup left over after making the milk shakes. Use it to create your own homemade strawberry soda (just add sparkling water and a squeeze of lime), drizzle over vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt, or add (just a splash) to a glass of Champagne. Makes 2½ cups
1 pound strawberries, hulled, sliced
½ cup water
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup light corn syrupPinch of salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Bring strawberries, ½ cup water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat to prevent mixture from boiling over. Mix in lemon juice. Strain mixture into large bowl, pressing on solids in strainer to extract as much juice as possible; discard solids in strainer. Cover and chill syrup.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.
Forget root beer: These ginger beer floats are a fresh and tropical take on the classic soda fountain treat, enhanced with mango sorbet and spicy crystallized ginger. Ginger beer is a nonalcoholic carbonated drink that’s made from ginger, fruit juices, and spices. You can find it alongside the sodas at the supermarket or specialty foods store. Makes 8
1 pint vanilla ice cream
4 tablespoons finely diced crystallized ginger, divided
1 pint mango sorbet
4 12-ounce bottles all-natural ginger beer (such as Reed’s), chilled
Place scoop of ice cream in each of 8 medium-size glasses. Sprinkle scant 1 teaspoon crystallized ginger over ice cream in each glass. Top each with scoop of sorbet, then second scoop ice cream. Pour ginger beer into glasses. Sprinkle remaining crystallized ginger over floats and serve immediately.
cookies
drop cookies
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Toffee Cookies
White Chocolate-Granola Cookies
Dark and White Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Ginger
Oatmeal Cookies
Cherry-Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Spice Cookies with Raisins and Walnuts
Pine Nut Cookies