Go Back
–+ servings
Baked Alaska
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Baked Alaska

This dessert is as good as it sounds--sweet vanilla ice cream with strawberries and chocolate, rich chocolate brownie base, delicious meringue and a rich dark chocolate sauce.
Course: Dessert
Keyword: Dairy-Free Option, Entertaining, Gluten-Free Option, Make-Ahead Option, No Salt or Low Salt, Vegetarian Option
Servings: 12

Note: If you are cooking for a particular style of eating, please check all of your ingredients carefully.

Many of my recipes have alternatives, and you want to choose the alternatives that fit the style you are preparing. Also, packaged goods may have ingredients you wouldn't expect. Soy sauce may or may not have gluten. Chocolate may or may not have dairy. This means you want to check the ingredients labels on the products you will use. Also, it's important to be aware that if you are cooking for someone with allergies or other reasons to take special care, you should avoid cross-contamination. For example, don't use the same utensil that was used in food containing the allergen or use the same cutting board that was used for food containing the allergen.

Ingredients

Brownie Base (or use brownie mix)

  • 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 2/3 cup butter (can use margarine)
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2/3 cup flour (can use gluten-free flour)
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Ice Cream (or used purchased flavored ice cream)

  • 3 quarts vanilla ice cream (can use non-dairy ice cream)
  • 12 ounces frozen strawberries
  • 4 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate (can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate)

Meringue

  • 4 egg whites (room temperature)
  • dash cream of tartar (about 1/16 teaspoon)
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon creme de cacao

Instructions

Brownie Base

  • Heat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Melt chocolate and butter together over low heat, stirring frequently, until just melted.
    Melted Chocolate and Butter for Baked Alaska
  • Whisk eggs, egg yolks and sugar together.
    Whisked Sugar and Eggs for Baked Alaska
  • Mix in chocolate mixture, flour, salt, vanilla and nuts.
    Baked Alaska Batter
  • Bake in buttered 9" springform pan until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 30 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature and place it in the freezer.
    Brownie Base for Baked Alaska

Ice Cream

  • Put a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. To melt the chocolate, use a dry bowl and dry spoon. Break the chocolate into pieces and microwave for 30 seconds on a medium setting. Remove from microwave and stir gently. Return to microwave for 30 seconds on a medium setting. Remove from microwave and stir gently. Continue until chocolate is mostly melted. You want to heat the chocolate slowly, so don't use a higher setting or longer cook time, even if at first there appears to be little progress. Heat for 30 seconds at time on a medium setting, and stir gently. When only small pieces remain, stir gently and allow the warm chocolate to melt the remaining pieces. Spread the melted chocolate on the baking sheet.
    Chocolate Spread on Parchment for Baked Alaska
  • Allow the chocolate to chill to room temperature. Refrigerate until cold. Pick up the corners of the parchment paper and pull the paper together and crush the chocolate by squeezing the outside of the paper.
    Chocolate Crushed for Baked Alaska
  • Allow the strawberries to thaw just enough so you can chop them, and chop the strawberries.
    Strawberries Chopped for Baked Alaska
  • Mix the ice cream with the cold chocolate and frozen strawberries. The idea is to allow the ice cream to soften enough to mix it, but not allow it to melt.
    Vanilla Ice Cream, Strawberries and Chocolate Mixed for Baked Alaska
  • Spread mixture in a 9" springform pan and put it in the freezer.
    Baked Alaska Ice Cream in Springform Pan

Assemble Baked Alaska

  • Remove the frozen brownie from springform pan. Remove the frozen ice cream from springform pan and place on top of brownie. Cover and return to freezer.
    Brownie with Ice Cream for Baked Alaska

Add Meringue and Bake

  • Heat oven to 450 degrees. Beat egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating after each addition, until mixture is the consistency of marshmallow cream. Beat in creme de cacao. Put brownie and ice cream on baking sheet or ovenproof plate. Completely cover brownie and ice cream with meringue. Bake until gently browned. Serve with chocolate sauce (see notes).
    Baked Alaska

Notes

Make and assemble the brownie and ice cream mixture ahead of time so they are well frozen when you add the meringue.
To make things easier at serving time, if you have room in your freezer, you can add the meringue earlier in the day and return it to the freezer to be baked at serving time.  This is a great option, though I like the texture of the meringue a bit better when it is prepared just before baking. 
You can use any chocolate sauce for this recipe.  I recommend this sauce.  Rich Dark Chocolate Sauce - Vivisimo