Baked Alaska

Baked Alaska is a dessert made of ice cream on top of slices of sponge cake or Christmas pudding and covered with meringue. The whole dessert is then baked in a very hot oven for just long enough to cook the meringue.  The meringue is a good insulator, and the short cooking time prevents the heat from getting through to the ice cream.

Its name, but not the recipe, was made at Delmonico's Restaurant in 1867 to honour the new American territory of Alaska.

February 1 is Baked Alaska Day.

Variations
A slightly changed dessert called Bombe Alaska came from Noel, Alaska. Some dark rum is splashed over the Baked Alaska, and the whole dessert is flambéed while being served.

References

Category:Baked foods
Category:Ice cream