Cheat’s Chocolate Cherry Baked Alaska

When I first decided to make a baked alaska, I had plans to make everything from scratch. I settled on the idea of individual chocolate cherry versions with a chocolate sponge base, cherry jam and a chocolate cherry ice cream. Several weeks of poor sleeping and a rather nasty cold left me feeling sapped of energy but determined to find a way of making my Baked Alaska meets Black Forest Gateau.

I decided on a cheat’s version using shop bought cake, jam and ice cream. Don’t judge me; it worked, it was tasty and we enjoyed it!

For the cake base, I used a chocolate loaf cake. The jam layer was a morello cherry preserve. I couldn’t find any chocolate cherry ice cream so went with a Belgian chocolate ice cream instead.

Print Pin

Cheat’s Chocolate Cherry Baked Alaska

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• 1 chocolate loaf cake
• 4-6 tbsp cherry jam
• 1 tub chocolate ice cream (or chocolate cherry if you can find it)
• 3 medium egg whites
• 200 g sugar
• pinch cream of tartar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 220 C.
• Carefully slice the loaf cake horizontally.
  
  
• Use a round cookie cutter to cut 4 circles from the slices. (I had an accident with one slice but did get two perfectly usable circles from the top slice).
  
• Spread about a tablespoon of cherry jam evenly over each circle of cake. You’ll need a nice thick layer to be able to detect the flavour, so add a little more if you like.
  
  
• Make the meringue: Beat the egg whites to soft peak stage. Add the sugar and cream of tartar and whip to stiff peaks.
  
• Use the heat from your hands to warm the surface of the ice cream tub, and slip the ice cream out of the tub and onto a chopping board.
  
• Cut the ice cream into four thick slices and use the cookie cutter to cut to size. Work quickly as the ice cream will start to melt fast. I threw the ice cream remnants back into the tub and back into the freezer to eat later.
  
• Place a slab of ice cream over each circle of cake and jam.
  
  
• If the ice cream is melting, pop the cake, jam and ice cream stacks into the freezer for a few minutes to firm up.
  
• Place the stacks onto a baking tray or in an ovenproof dish.
  
• Use a spoon and spatula to coat each stack with a thick layer of meringue. Make sure there are no gaps and that the meringue extends all the way down the sides. (I struggled a little as my meringue wasn’t quite stiff enough).
  
  
• Use your finger to create little spikes over the surface of the meringue.
  
• Bake in the hot oven for about 4 minutes, until the surface of the meringue is brown.
  
• Remove and serve immediately.
  

Please note that as the egg white is not cooked through, this recipe is not be suitable for anyone who shouldn’t eat raw eggs.