Baked Alaska

Can’t believe that a few days ago I was complaining that the Great British Bake Off has been too dull and tame this year. Lo and behold… DRAMA. Controversy. Twitter goes wild. Over 800 complaints to the BBC. And all over a Baked Alaska.

It has to be said that Baked Alaska is kind of a (evil) genius baking challenge. While this retrofabulous dessert  is not super complicated in itself, it requires a few different components and a lot of time. I don’t think 4 1/2 hours is sufficient time for the ice cream to set properly especially on a really hot day, especially if you are sharing freezer space. In that respect the episode was designed to bring out the tension but I don’t think the producers had any inkling it would create such a furore.

In the end we may never know whether the sensational bingate was due to sabotage (sincerely doubt it!), oversight or clever editing. I do think that Iain deserved some apology for having his ice cream taken out of the freezer. And if it were me I would have probably binned my spoiled bake and stormed out in much the same way (probably with a few choice expletives thrown in). Goodbye Iain, you and your magnificent beard will be missed.

Making Baked Alaska at home, even with all the freezer space to myself, was no walk in the park. I really didn’t enjoy it, mostly because photographing an ice cream dessert is incredibly challenging. Oh and because I realised at the 11th hour that my blow torch was empty and so I had to literally bake my Alaska in the oven. As you will see by the time I snapped the sliced Alaska the meringue had started sliding off like a slow motion face melting in a horror film.

1. Put the ice cream maker bowl in the freezer, wrapped in a plastic bag, for 8 hours or overnight before you make the ice cream.
2. Cook the blackberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat until the berries start to burst and sugar is dissolved.
3. Blitz in the Magimix until puréed then strain into a bowl, pressing down with the back of a spoon to extract all the juice. Cool completely (this can be made a couple of days ahead).
4. Combine the milk (or double cream), sugar and vanilla in a pan and bring almost to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.
5. Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl and then very gradually add the hot milk whisking the entire time so the eggs don’t curdle.
6. Return the mix to the pan and cook over very low heat, stirring continuously, until the mix is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
7. Cool completely – you can set the bowl over a lager bowl filled with ice or put in the fridge, covered, overnight.
8. Pour the mix into the ice cream maker and mix until mostly firm. Transfer to another container and swirl the blackberry in to create a marbled effect. Either use immediately or put in the freezer.

To make the Baked Alaska

1. Line a small glass bowl with cling film, letting the cling film hang out over the sides. Fill with the ice cream about 4/5 of the way up. Leave enough space for the cake to be added.
2. Brush the top of the cake with the blackberry mix then firmly push it into the bowl to create a lid for the ice cream. Return to the freezer while you prepare the meringue.
3. For the meringue: You can use Swiss, Italian or French meringue here. I find that making more than you think you might need is a safe bet – better than not having enough! I used the leftover 4 egg whites and 150 (6oz) sugar.
4. Use the cling film to pull the ice cream out of the bowl then invert on a plate of cake stand.
5. Use a spatula to cover the entire dessert with a thin layer of meringue. Use a piping bag fitted with a large closed star nozzle to pipe meringue over the entire dessert.
6. Brown with a blow torch and serve immediately.

1. Preheat the oven to as hot as possible and set the self on the bottom.
2. Transfer the sponge and ice cream to a tray lined with baking paper before icing with the meringue.
3. Bake for around 2 minutes until meringue browns. Carefully transfer onto a plate or cake stand (this was NOT fun!) and serve immediately.

What did everyone think of the latest episode of #GBBO? Are you sad to see Iain go? Do you think he should have stayed? Would you ever attempt a Baked Alaska? Please link your recipes below and sound off in the comment section.