It turns out, baked Alaska is one of the simplest dessert recipes to prepare! These individual baked Alaska desserts are the perfect holiday dessert. Flavored with pumpkin and salted caramel ice creams, and layered with ginger snaps, you’ve got a Thanksgiving dessert your family will go crazy for.Â
In general I’m not much of a dessert person. I’ll take popcorn or a bag of chips as a post dinner “treat” any day of the week, but I do like to get a little fancy on the holidays. Pumpkin pie is ok and all, but reimagining holiday desserts has become somewhat of an obsession of mine.
Last year I made ginger cookie and pumpkin ice cream sandwiches. This year on the menu, individual pumpkin and caramel baked Alaskas.
It’s easy. Trust me.
All my life I’ve thought that baked Alaska was in some unattainable realm of fancy desserts that a layperson like me would never be able to make at home. That’s when I realized it’s just a layered ice cream and cake. Buy ice cream, let it melt, pour it into a mold, and you’re nearly there.
Individual Baked Alaska
I chose to make individual baked Alaska servings because it’s a bit easier and a whole lot more fun. I simply used these silicone baking cups for the molds and then layered in my ice cream flavors and crushed ginger snaps.
Since the holidays are upon us, salted caramel and pumpkin were the flavors that first came to mind. The crumbled gingersnap layer was to mimic the “cake” portion of a traditional baked Alaska as well.
Talk about a burst of holiday flavor in a simple baking cup! What I love about this recipe is that it’s super simple to change out the ice cream and “cake” layers with each season.Â
Dark chocolate and strawberry for valentines day.
Pineapple and coconut for summer time.
Or even a peppermint and mocha combo for Christmas. Whatever your tastes dictate, it’s easy to make a substitution.
Moving on to the more intimidating part of the recipe, the meringue topping. Don’t be scared! It’s very easy to make. Egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar in a stand mixer. The mixer does all the work.
Fill a piping bag with the meringue and squirt it over the top of your baked Alaskas.
Smooth the topping out with a knife or spoon or use a fork to make more decorative peaks. Now comes the fun part.
Torch that sucker!!
You can bake these under the broiler in your oven if you don’t have a kitchen torch but you need to work quickly and keep an eye on them because the ice cream will melt if they’re in the oven too long.
I definitely recommend getting a kitchen torch if you don’t have one though. It’s a very useful tool to have on hand, and you can buy an inexpensive one on Amazon. They make great stocking stuffers.
Can you imagine the look on your guests faces when you place one of these beauties in front of them?! It’s time to retire the classic pumpkin or apple pies this holiday season, and move into the next generation of holiday desserts. Individual baked Alaska for the win!
Do you have a holiday tradition that you’re looking to update? Perhaps something on your holiday menu that needs to be brought into the 21st century? Leave a comment below and tell me what holiday traditions you’re looking forward to this season.
If you decide to give these individual baked Alaskas a try, post a pic on Facebook or Instagram and tag @betsylife so I can see and share your creations with my fans.
Individual Baked Alaska with Pumpkin and Salted Caramel
It turns out, baked Alaska is one of the simplest dessert recipes to prepare! These individual baked Alaska desserts are the perfect holiday dessert. Flavored with pumpkin and salted caramel ice creams, and layered with ginger snaps, you've got a Thanksgiving dessert your family will go crazy for.
Ingredients
- 1 pint pumpkin ice cream melted
- 1 pint salted caramel ice cream melted
- 2 cups gingersnaps finely ground
- 6 egg whites
- pinch cream of tartar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
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Distribute melted pumpkin ice cream evenly between six, 4-inch silicone baking cups. Freeze for 30 minutes.
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Remove cups from freezer and spread 1 cup of ground gingersnaps in an even layer over pumpkin ice cream. Freeze for 30 minutes.
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Remove from freezer top with melted salted caramel ice cream. Cover with an even layer of remaining 1 cup ground ginger snaps. Freeze for 2-3 hours until firm or overnight.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until foamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar on high speed until the whites are glossy and hold stiff peaks.
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Remove layered ice cream from molds. Place on a heat proof baking sheet.
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Fill a pastry bag with meringue. Working quickly, pipe an even layer over each ice cream mound. Smooth into an even layer using a spoon, knife or a fork for a more decorative touch.
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Torch lightly with a kitchen torch until golden brown all over. Store in the freezer until ready to serve.
Recipe Notes
If you don't have a kitchen torch, place baked Alaska under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Be sure to keep an eye on them so the ice cream doesn't melt.Â
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Michelle says
Can you make the meringue ahead of time?
betsy says
It’s definitely best if you serve it immediately. However, I have (multiple times) made the meringue in the morning, toasted them, then put the whole finished thing the freezer for serving at dinner. The texture isn’t quite as good, but it definitely works and still tastes great