Tag: meringue

Jam Baked Alaska

alaska-baked3

This is an easy way to make a delicious, colorful, fun dessert.  The ice cream and jam layer is prepared ahead of time and frozen, requiring only a few minutes to beat the meringue and bake just before serving.  Also, it’s easy to simply double the ingredients if you want more than four servings.  Any good jam will work, but I am using some that I made last summer with fresh strawberries and Kelli’s recipe for Balsamic Strawberry Jam.

JAM BAKED ALASKA

  • 4 slices pound  cake
  • 4 scoops vanilla ice cream
  • 1/4 cup of your favorite jam
  • 2 egg whites
  • ½ tsp. vanilla
  • ¼ tsp. cream of tartar.
  • 4 Tblsp. granulated sugar

In each of four custard cups, place a scoop of vanilla ice cream …

alaska1

… and a tablespoon of jam.
alaska2

Cover and freeze until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, preheat oven to 500 degrees F and make the meringue:

Beat egg whites until frothy; add vanilla and cream of tartar – beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add granulated sugar a tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.

In each of four oven-proof dessert bowls, place a slice of pound cake.

alaska-bowl

Unwrap ice cream in custard cups and invert on top of cake slices so you have a layer of cake, jam and ice cream.

alsaka-ic

Working quickly divide the meringue among the four bowls, spreading the meringue to touch the sides of the bowls and completely cover the ice cream.

alaska-baked

Place bowls on a baking sheet and place in oven until meringue is brown on top.  Watch carefully so the meringue doesn’t burn.  Serve immediately. 

alaska-baked2

A Good Sunday Lunch

I offered to fix lunch for my two daughters and two grandchildren before they headed for the large pool at Coney Island in Cincinnati.  One daughter suggested an oriental style pasta salad would be good and I found one on Allrecipes.  This is my edited version with a few changes.

SESAME PASTA CHICKEN SALAD

  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 8 oz bow tie pasta (Barilla Piccolini)
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/3 cup Teriyaki sauce
  • 1/3 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 3 Tblsp. granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • few gratings of black pepper
  • 2 chicken breast halves, baked and shredded
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

Heat a small skillet over medium high heat.  Add sesame seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted.   Remove from heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook for 7 minutes.  Drain pasta and rinse under cold water.  Transfer pasta to a large bowl.

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine canola oil, Teriyaki sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger and pepper.  Shake well.  Pour dressing over pasta and toss to coat evenly.  Gently mix in chicken, cilantro and toasted almonds.

The three adults loved this salad – it was exactly what I was looking for in flavor and I would suggest that you not omit the fresh cilantro.  It just adds so much to the salad.

For dessert, I pulled out a recipe for a pie that myoldest daughter had made for a pie contest at the Hamilton County Fair (Cincinnati) in 1985.  She won an award and as soon as we tasted it, we could see why.  It’s incredibly rich, so plan on at least 8 servings.

NANCY'S CHOCOLATE LIME PIE

  • 16 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed (Oreo)
  • 2 Tblsp. butter, melted
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
  • 2 envelopes of Nestle Choco-Bake pre-melted chocolate
  • 1/3 cup lime juice
  • 3 egg whites
  • 7 oz. jar of marshmallow creme

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Crust:

In a 9″ pie pan, combine crumbs with melted butter.  Press onto bottom and up sides of pie plate.  Bake @ 375 degrees  F for about 8 minutes.  Cool while preparing filling.

Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F.

Filling:

In mixer bowl beat egg yolks at high speed about 4 minutes.  Add condensed milk, pre-melted chocolate and lime juice, mixing well.  Pour into prepared crust.

Meringue:

Beat egg whites to soft peaks, gradually adding marshmallow creme, incorporating well and beating to stiff peaks.  Spread over filling.

Bake @ 350 degrees F for 12 minutes until meringue is golden brown.

Chill for 2-3 hours.

Note: It’s important to chill the pie well and to chill any leftovers to make the pie easier to serve.