Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- * * * * * For the Strawberry Preserve * * * * *
- 20 oz. Frozen California Strawberries, thawed and sliced
- 5 oz. Granulated Sugar
- * * * * * For the Strawberry Ice Cream * * * * *
- 12 each Egg yolks
- 8 oz. Granulated sugar
- 1 pint Milk
- 1 pint Heavy cream
- 1 cup Strawberry preserve
- * * * * * For the Strawberry Cake * * * * *
- 8 oz. Cake flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 8 oz. Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 oz. Granulated sugar
- 2 each Eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 8 oz. Sour cream, room temperature
- 1 1/3 cup Strawberry Preserve
- * * * * * For the Rhubarb Consommé * * * * *
- Rhubarb, fresh or frozen, cut in 1/2–inch pieces
- Lemon grass, sliced
- Vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- Sweet wine, e.g. Moscato d’Asti
- 2 pounds, 4 ounces Fresh California strawberries, thinly sliced (for garnish)
Preparation:
In heavy saucepan, heat strawberries and sugar on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Cool. Yield: about 1 1/3 cups.
To prepare Strawberry Ice Cream: In medium bowl, whisk together yolks and sugar. In large saucepan, bring milk and cream to boil; pour slowly into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats back of spoon; strain into bowl. Cool in ice bath, stirring occasionally. Whisk in Strawberry Preserve. Freeze in ice cream machine. Yield: 2 quarts. (Shortcut: Good-quality commercial strawberry ice cream can be substituted.)
To prepare Strawberry Cake:
Heat oven to 350°F. Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder together; set aside. In mixer, cream butter and sugar with paddle until light and fluffy; add eggs on at a time, scraping bowl down after each addition.
Add 1/2 of flour; mix just until combined. Add sour cream; mix until just combined. Add remaining flour; mix until combined. Fold in Strawberry Preserve. Coat half-sheet pan (cookie sheet) with nonstick spray, line with parchment; spray again. Spread batter evenly on pan; bake about 20 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and springs back when touched. Cool completely.
For Baked Alaska Assembly:
Cut Strawberry Cake into 24 (2 1/2-inch) rounds; place on parchment-lined sheet pan. Scoop 1/4 cup ice cream onto each cake, leaving 1/2–inch border of cake around ice cream. Freeze until ice cream is solidly frozen.
In clean dry bowl, whisk egg whites and sugar gently over simmering water until sugar melts and egg whites are hot to touch. Transfer to mixer bowl, add salt and whisk on high speed until meringue forms stiff glossy peaks. Place in piping bag with 1/2–inch round tip.
Starting at cake base, pipe meringue over ice cream, spiraling up to cover ice cream completely. Store in freezer up to one day. Yield: 24 Baked Alaska’s
To prepare Rhubarb Consommé:
In medium saucepan, combine all; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until rhubarb is completely tender and falling apart. Strain liquid through fine strainer without pushing on solids. Strain liquid again through chinois (strainer) or coffee filter. Cool and refrigerate. Yield: about 7 cups.
For each serving, to order: Heat oven to 500°F. In small saucepan, heat 1/3 cup strawberries and 1/4 cup Rhubarb Consommé until warm. Place 1 Baked Alaska in oven for 2 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown. Place Baked Alaska in shallow soup dish; pour consommé and strawberries around. Serve immediately. Tip: Brown meringue with propane torch instead of in oven.
