foodconsumer.org: Healthy Recipes: Baked Alaska Warms New Years’ Eve

Healthy Recipes: Baked Alaska Warms New Years’ Eve
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admin on 01/02/2010 23:24:00
 
By Dana Jacobi
for the American Institute for Cancer Research
On New Year’s Eve, I used to host soirees featuring smoked salmon, caviar and
blini. These days, they have become a family-friendly evening that is an open
house where we share a sweet dessert potluck.
The menu usually includes an assortment of homemade brownies, kid-decorated
cookies in electric colors, a big fruit salad and outrageously expensive baked
goods from New York’s finest patisseries. This year, for example, someone
promises to bring to-die-for chef-made French macaroons, the chic sweet of the
moment.
My contribution is always Baked Alaska, an impressive culinary sleight of hand
that actually requires little skill. The alchemy in this seemingly magic
“baked ice cream” relies on a basic principle – the meringue and cake are
both poor conductors of heat. As a result, they insulate the ice cream while the
meringue swathing it browns in a hot oven.
Making a Baked Alaska requires just five ingredients, all sold at the
supermarket. It takes a few, simple steps done over several hours.Most of these
can be done a day or two before the Alaska is served.
I use a store-bought frozen loaf cake for the slabs that form the base of this
dessert. If you like, though, make your cake from scratch, using any favorite
recipe, such as a tender sponge cake. In place of ice cream, these days, I
prefer to use sorbet, which makes a lighter, more colorful Baked Alaska. It also
happens to be fat-free.
If serving raw egg concerns you, use pasteurized dried egg whites or the sole
brand of liquid whites that whips, Eggcology. Like raw whites, both produce a
satiny, marshmallow cloud of meringue that gains a glorious golden-brown halo in
the heat of the oven.
Alternative sorbet flavor combinations are mango-strawberry and peach-raspberry.
Avoid lemon or passion fruit sorbet: their acidity does not taste good with the
meringue.
Baked Alaska
*1 loaf (10 1/2 ounces) plain pound cake, such as Sara Lee Frozen Pound Cake,
low-fat or fat-free 	*1 cup good-quality chocolate sorbet 	*1 cup good-quality
raspberry sorbet 	*6 large egg whites 	*2/3 cup sugar 	*1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
	*Ice cubes 	*4 cups fresh raspberries
*Cover cake rack with foil. 	*Slice off domed top of pound cake and set aside
for another use. Slice remaining cake in half horizontally. Place bottom slice
on foil-covered rack. Using large tablespoon and working it sideways, scoop
chocolate sorbet from container in large “chips.” Place sorbet “chips”
on top of cake to completely cover it. Smooth sorbet with back of spoon or your
fingers. Sorbet layer should be an even, 1-inch layer. Place cake and sorbet in
freezer, uncovered, to solidify, 2 hours. 	*Remove cake with sorbet layer from
freezer. Set the second cake layer on top of it, then spread the raspberry
sorbet over the cake. Set in the freezer to solidify, 2 hours. 	*Cover the
assembled sorbet and cake with plastic wrap, pressing it firmly against the
sorbet. (If you are working ahead, this will keep in freezer for 2 days.) 	*Set
oven rack in lower third of oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. 	*Place egg
whites in large mixing bowl. On slow speed, beat whites until frothy. Add cream
of tartar, and increase mixing speed to high. When egg whites look white,
sprinkle in sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating 10 seconds between
additions. Beat until egg whites are glossy and form stiff peaks, about 8
minutes. They will resemble marshmallow. 	*Using metal spatula, spread meringue
to cover sides of frozen loaf in a thick layer, then mound remaining meringue
over top. Spread meringue with spatula, using swirling motion over top and sides
for attractive presentation. (Or scoop meringue into pastry bag fitted with star
tip. Pipe it to cover loaf, working vertically around the sides, then
horizontally over the top.) 	*Fill large, shallow baking dish with ice cubes.
Set on oven rack. Place rack with Baked Alaska on top of ice. Bake until
meringue is lightly colored, with darker color on ridges and points, 6 to 8
minutes, watching it carefully. Immediately, use sharp knife to slice Baked
Alaska. Serve with fresh raspberries.
Makes 8 servings.
Per serving (includes raspberries): 320 calories, 7 g total fat (1.5 g saturated
fat),
58 g carbohydrate, 6 g protein, 5 g dietary fiber, 210 mg sodium. Something
Different is written by Dana Jacobi, author of 12 Best Foods Cookbook and
contributor to AICR’s New American Plate Cookbook: Recipes for a Healthy
Weight and a Healthy Life.
***
The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) is the cancer charity that
fosters research on the relationship of nutrition, physical activity and weight
management to cancer risk, interprets the scientific literature and educates the
public about the results. It has contributed more than $91 million for
innovative research conducted at universities, hospitals and research centers
across the country. AICR has published two landmark reports that interpret the
accumulated research in the field, and is committed to a process of continuous
review. AICR also provides a wide range of educational programs to help millions
of Americans learn to make dietary changes for lower cancer risk. Its
award-winning New American Plate program is presented in brochures, seminars and
on its website, www.aicr.org. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund
International.
from aicr.org