Black Forest Baked Alaska Recipe

Make and bake cake

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan. In a bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl whisk the egg, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla. Combine wet into dry and stir until just combined. Stir in hot water or hot coffee until batter is smooth (batter will be thin). Pour into prepared pan and bake 20–25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Cool completely. Trim to an even 8-inch round and, if necessary, slice the cake horizontally to make a 1/2-inch thick base suitable for the Baked Alaska; otherwise leave as a single thin layer.

Freeze cake base

Wrap the cake layer in plastic wrap and place on a baking sheet in the freezer at least 30 minutes to firm up so it supports the ice cream dome.

Prepare cherry puree

Place the frozen cherries, 1/2 cup sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cherries release juices and soften, 6–8 minutes. Stir in the cocoa powder. Remove from heat and let cool slightly then transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender to purée until mostly smooth with some small fruit texture. Fold in the finely chopped bittersweet chocolate while warm so it melts into the puree. Chill the puree until cold, about 20 minutes.

Whip cream and combine

Whip the chilled heavy cream to soft-medium peaks. In a separate bowl whisk sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Fold the chilled cherry-chocolate purée into the whipped cream in 3 additions until uniform but still airy. Taste and adjust sweetness; you can fold in up to 1–2 tbs extra sugar if desired.

Mold and freeze

Line a 6- to 8-cup bowl or dome mold with plastic wrap leaving overhang. Spoon the cherry chocolate semifreddo mixture into the mold, smoothing the top. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or overnight. Alternatively use an ice cream maker to churn and then freeze in a dome mold.

Cook compote

Combine the fresh or thawed cherries, 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tbs water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 6–8 minutes until fruit is tender and juices are syrupy. If using, stir in kirsch. Mix cornstarch with 1 tsp cold water to make a slurry and add to the simmering cherries, stirring until the compote slightly thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Reserve about 1/3 cup for the jubilee sauce if you like.

Make sauce

In a small skillet or saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until it dissolves and begins to bubble, about 2 minutes. Carefully stir in the heavy cream and orange juice; simmer 1–2 minutes until glossy. Add the rum or brandy and the reserved halved cherries or 1/3 cup compote and warm gently 30–60 seconds.

Optional flambé

If flambéing, remove pan from heat, tilt briefly and ignite the spirit with a long lighter or match, letting the flame burn off the alcohol (stand back and follow safety precautions). Once flames subside, return to low heat, taste, and finish with a pinch of salt. Keep warm until serving.

Make Swiss meringue

Place egg whites and 1 cup granulated sugar in a heatproof mixing bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water (double boiler), whisking constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches 160°F (about 3–4 minutes) and is warm to the touch. Remove from heat and transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer). Whip on medium-high until glossy, stiff peaks form and the bowl is cool, about 8–10 minutes. Add cream of tartar and vanilla in the last minute of whipping to stabilize.

Caramelize meringue

Spoon or pipe the meringue over a parchment-lined sheet to make decorative dollops if you want separate meringue pieces, or reserve to cover the assembled dome. To caramelize, use a kitchen torch to brown the surface evenly until golden and slightly blistered. If you prefer, place meringue-topped items under a very hot broiler for 15–45 seconds, watching closely to prevent burning.

Assemble Baked Alaska

Place the frozen cake layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Unmold the frozen cherry-chocolate semifreddo dome and place it on top of the cake. Spoon or brush a thin layer of cherry compote between the cake and semifreddo if desired for extra cherry flavor. Cover the entire dome and exposed cake edges with the prepared meringue, spreading to form peaks and sealing the base so no ice cream is exposed.

Caramelize meringue on dessert

Using a kitchen torch, evenly brown the meringue to a deep golden color, creating caramelized peaks. If you don't have a torch, briefly place the whole baking sheet under a preheated broiler for 20–45 seconds, watching constantly to avoid burning. Return to freezer for 10–15 minutes if the ice cream has softened.

Serve with jubilee sauce

Warm the jubilee sauce gently and, at the table, spoon warm sauce over individual slices of the Black Forest Baked Alaska. If you prepared the flambé, you can flambé briefly at the table for drama (optional). Garnish with chocolate shavings and fresh cherries. Slice with a hot, dry knife for clean cuts. Serve immediately.