Valentine's Day Raspberry Cotton Candy Baked Alaska
Since most of us will be spending Valentine’s Day at home, I thought some at home table side drama like a Baked Alaska with cotton candy flambé would be just the fun we need! This Baked Alaska is layered with raspberry sorbet, vanilla bean butter cake, vanilla ice cream and fresh raspberries. It is all topped with toasted fluffy pink meringue and a raspberry cotton candy cloud. The whole thing is dosed in flaming rum for dramatic effect.
“When Flambéed the cotton candy liquefies and caramelizes to makes a great crunch and bright pink sticky syrup. ”
Valentine's Day Raspberry Cotton Candy Baked Alaska
Vanilla Butter Cake
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/3 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
Meringue
2 egg whites
1/2 cup superfine granulated sugar
Remaining items for assembly
1 pint Raspberry Sorbet
1/2 pint Vanilla Ice Cream/Gelato
Fresh Raspberries
1 small container Raspberry Cotton Candy
1/3 cup High Proof White Rum
*More Fresh Raspberries for garnish
Select a small bowl to act as a mold for your sorbet dome. I choose a cereal bowl. Line the inside of the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside while you prepare your cake.
Vanilla Butter Cakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two 9 by 13 inch cake pan with parchment paper.
Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, beat the reserved butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla continue to whip until light and fluffy. .
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add eggs to the butter mixture one at a time and beat until fully combine and the volume has increased. Then, alternatively add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture (beginning and ending with flour). Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Then, move to a wire rack to cool.
Once completely cool cut out 2 circles the same size as the opening of your bowl mold. Wrap your circles in plastic wrap and chill in the freezer until ready to use.
Let the pint of raspberry sorbet and vanilla ice cream sit at room temperature until soft. Scoop the softened sorbet into the prepared bowl mold and press down until the bowl is full and the top is smooth. Cover the top with plastic wrap and place into the freezer. Take one of your cake circles and scoop ice cream on top and scatter with a handful of raspberries. Smooth the ice cream to cover evenly. Then, top with the remaining circle. Wrap everything in plastic and place in the freezer.
Freeze sorbet and layered ice cream cake until firm at least 4 hours but preferably overnight. Then prepare the meringue.
Meringue: Add egg whites and sugar to a heat proof bowl and simmer over a pot of water, whisking constantly, until temperature reaches 160°F, or if you don't have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot.
Transfer the sugar mixture to the bowl of a stand mixture fitted with the whisk attachment, add a small amount of pink gel food coloring and begin to whip until the meringue is thick, and glossy (this can take up to 10 minutes or so).
Assembly:
Fill a pastry bag fitted with the pastry tip of your choice with the meringue.
Remove the layered ice cream cake and bowl sorbet from the freezer. Remove the sorbet from the bowl mold (dipping the bowl into warm water will help with removal). Stack the sorbet dome on top of ice cream cake layer and place on your serving dish. Then, pipe swirls of the meringue to cover the dome and cake.
If desired, use a kitchen torch to toast meringue until it reaches the desired color.
At this point, the baked Alaska can be placed in the freezer until ready to serve.
Flambé Service: Remove the Baked Alaska from the freezer and transfer to the fridge 15 -20 minutes before serving to soften slightly. Just before serving, place the rum in a small sauce pan and heat for 1-2 minute (do not boil). Then, transfer the warm rum to a heat safe container for pouring (I used a metal measuring cup). Remove the Baked Alaska from the fridge and top with a pillow of cotton candy. Using a long match or grill lighter light the rum until it begins to flame. Carefully poor the flaming rum over the cotton candy top. Once all the alcohol has burned away slice with a sharp knife to serve.
