Individual Baked Alaskas

evelyn/athens's Note:

From Emily Luchetti, Stars.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 40 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

Custard Sauce

• 5 large egg yolks
• 2 ½ tablespoons sugar
• 1 2⁄3; cups milk (do not use low-fat!)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Baked Alaskas

• 1 ½ cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ cup water
• 4 teaspoons instant espresso powder or 4 teaspoons instant coffee powder
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs

Topping

• 1 ½ pints coffee ice cream

Meringue

• 6 large egg whites
• 1 ½ cups sugar

Directions:

1. For sauce: Whisk yolks and sugar in large bowl to blend; bring milk just to simmer in medium saucepan; gradually whisk hot milk into egg mixture; return mixture to same saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until sauce thickens and coats back of spoon, about 7 minutes (do not boil); pour into bowl; stir in vanilla; place plastic wrap directly onto surface of custard and cool; cover and refrigerate until cold.
2. For Baked Alaskas: Preheat oven to 350°F; butter and flour 10 ½ x 15 ½ x 1-inch jelly roll pan; sift first 5 ingredients into large bowl; repeat sifting; combine water and espresso powder in large bowl and stir to dissolve; add buttermilk, oil and eggs and whisk to combine; add to dry ingredients and whisk until blended; pour batter into prepared pan; bake until tester inserted into middle of cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes; transfer to rack and cool completely (Sauce and cake can be prepared 1 day ahead; cover cake and refrigerate).
3. Using 4-inch-diameter round as guide, cut out 1 cake round; slide metal spatual under cake round and transfer to baking sheet; repeat, forming 5 more cake rounds; reserve remaining cake for another use; place rounded scoop of ice cream on top of each cake round; freeze, uncovered, for up to 8 hours.
4. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form; gradually add 1 ½ cups sugar and beat mixture until stiff and glossy.
5. Spoon meringue into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip; pipe meringue in star shapes on top of ice cream, covering ice cream completely, but leaving cake visible underneath (ice cream should be completely encased in meringue, with a seal where ice cream meets cake); freeze until ready to bake (Can be prepared 1 day ahead).
6. Preheat oven to 500°F; bake desserts until meringue is light brown, about 2 minutes; using spatula, transfer each Baked Alaska to individual plates; spoon sauce onto plates and serve immediately.