There’s nothing quite like ending a meal with a true showstopper — and this Baked Alaska delivers. A rich dark chocolate brownie base is topped with swirls of ice cream, covered in a billowy Swiss meringue, and toasted to golden perfection. We love to use homemade raspberry and mango no-churn ice cream for this Baked Alaska — the tart fruit makes the dessert surprisingly refreshing — but you can mix and match flavors to suit your taste. See "tips," below for helpful guidance on substituting homemade or store-bought ice cream.
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To make the brownie base: Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Line an 8" round pan with parchment or lightly grease.
In a small mixing bowl, stir to combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a saucepan set over low heat or in a large microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter and chocolate just until melted. (If using the microwave, heat at 50% power in 20-second increments.) Stir with a flexible spatula to combine.
Add the sugar to the melted chocolate mixture and stir until fully combined, then add the egg, water, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
Add the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level the top.
Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the center feels set and the edges spring back slightly when pressed. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a rack. (The brownie base can be made up to 2 days in advance; store, well-wrapped, at room temperature until ready to use.)
To make the ice cream filling: Using a food processor, blender, or mortar and pestle, blend/crush the freeze-dried mango into a fine powder. Set aside, then repeat the process with the freeze-dried raspberries. Keep the two powders separate.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, combine the cream, sweetened condensed milk, and salt. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Transfer half the mixture (about 2 1/2 cups or 425g) into a medium bowl. Gently fold the freeze-dried mango powder into the whipped mixture in the bowl until evenly incorporated.
To the remaining portion in the stand mixer bowl, fold in the freeze-dried raspberry powder until evenly incorporated.
Line a 2-quart metal bowl that’s 8" across the top and at least 3" deep with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap overhangs the edge of the bowl by a few inches.
Dollop alternating scoops of the mango and raspberry filling into the lined bowl, which will create a colorful pattern when the Baked Alaska is sliced. Alternatively, you can simply layer one filling on top of the other. Once both fillings have been added, tap the bowl on the counter a few times to eliminate any air pockets and use an offset or flexible spatula to smooth the top.
Remove the fully cooled brownie base from the pan and invert it directly onto the ice cream filling in the bowl, removing the parchment if necessary.
Press gently to adhere the brownie base to the filling, then wrap the entire bowl in plastic wrap and freeze until solid, at least 8 hours or up to 1 week.
To make the Swiss meringue: When you’re ready to serve the Baked Alaska, fill a saucepan with 2" of water and bring to gentle simmer.
In a large heat-proof bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until combined.
Set the bowl over the pan of simmering water, and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 161°F on a digital thermometer, about 5 to 7 minutes. If you don’t have a digital thermometer, dip a small spoon into the egg white mixture to coat it. Carefully run your finger over the spoon, then rub your thumb and finger together (the mixture will be hot!). It should feel smooth with no grittiness from the sugar remaining. If the sugar hasn’t completely dissolved, return the mixture to the heat and continue to cook and stir for several more minutes before checking it again.
Remove the bowl from the heat and use the mixer’s whip attachment or an electric hand mixer to whip the meringue on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4 to 6 minutes.
To assemble the Baked Alaska: Unwrap the bowl with the frozen ice cream and brownie base and invert it onto a serving platter. Gently lift the bowl up to reveal the ice cream and remove the plastic wrap. (You may have to use one hand to lift the bowl and the other to hold the plastic wrap in place.) If the ice cream won’t release from the bowl, gently warm the base with the palm of your hand or a warm towel to encourage it to separate.
Using a flexible or offset spatula, dollop the Swiss meringue onto the ice cream and spread it evenly to completely cover the ice cream and brownie base (spread it all the way to the serving platter), creating decorative swirls and peaks as you go.
Using a baker's torch, toast the meringue: Hold the torch 6" away from the surface and ignite it. Continuously move the torch in small circles as you work your way around the entire Baked Alaska, toasting the meringue. (Continuous movement will help prevent any one place from taking on too much color.) If you don’t have a baker’s torch, see "tips," below.
Once toasted, serve the Baked Alaska immediately. For the cleanest cuts, dip a large knife into a container of hot water. Remove the knife, wipe it dry with a kitchen towel, then immediately slice the Baked Alaska. Continue dipping and wiping the knife for each additional slice before serving.
Storage information: Any leftover Baked Alaska can be wrapped well in plastic or placed in an airtight container and stored in the freezer for up to 1 week.
Tips from our Bakers
The ice cream flavor possibilities for this Baked Alaska are endless; feel free to get creative! Aim to use about 3 pints of your favorite homemade or store-bought ice cream. To use, prepare the brownie base as described above. Then let the ice cream soften in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes until it's the consistency of thick softserve and easily spreadable. Layer the ice cream into a plastic wrap-lined bowl as described and proceed with building the Baked Alaska, topping with the brownie base, and freezing until solid, at least 6 to 8 hours. Once frozen, complete the rest of the recipe, starting with making the Swiss meringue (step 15).
While a baker's torch produces the best results, you can toast the meringue using an oven’s broiler. To do so, set the oven’s broiler to high; place a rack at least 8" to 10" away from the oven’s heating element. Place the Baked Alaska on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Keep a constant watch on the meringue until it begins to take on color. Every broiling element differs and this step can happen very fast, so don’t walk away! Note that it will be difficult to brown the sides of the Baked Alaska, and the ice cream will also become slightly soft using this method.
