Modern Baked Alaska with Japonaise, Citrus Biscuit, Creamy Caramelized Banana and Milk Chocolate Ganache, Banana and Nougatine Ice Cream and Swiss Meringue

Modern Baked Alaska with Japonaise, Citrus Biscuit, Creamy Caramelized Banana and Milk Chocolate Ganache, Banana and Nougatine Ice Cream and Swiss Meringue

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Credit: ACF Chef Glenn Rinsky, CEPC, CEC, CCE
National Culinary Review, May/June 2023

From the Chef

“For a twist on a classic Baked Alaska, I start with a Japonaise base that’s topped with a citrus-based savoy biscuit and a creamy and caramelized banana and milk chocolate ganache. I then encase the ice cream with a Swiss-style meringue, studded with an almond nougatine to increase the crunch and wow factor. For this method, I use a blow torch to “color” and lightly brown the shell, which is then served with a mango sauce and more crumbled nougatine garnish. Timeless and stunning, classical or modern, baked Alaska shows the versatility of the pastry chef and gives diners the exciting combination of hot and cold in one bite (visit ACF Chef Glenn Rinsky’s YouTube channel, Grand Cuisine!, where he explores the origin of baked Alaska and prepares it as it would have been prepared in the cavernous kitchen of Delmonico’s, according to Chef Ranhofer’s recipe from his culinary tome, “The Epicurean").”

Ingredients

Japonaise Meringue Batter:
Yield: 8 to 14 discs
3 ounces (86 grams) almond flour
1 tablespoon (12 grams) potato starch
3 ounces (84 grams) sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 each (103 grams) egg whites
4 ounces (115 grams) granulated sugar

Citrus Savoy Biscuit:
Yield: 1 (8-inch) cake
4 eggs, separated
5 ounces (142 grams) granulated sugar
2 ounces (55 grams) all-purpose flour
2 ounces (57 grams) cornstarch
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Zest of 1/2 orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare a 10-inch cake pan by greasing the bottom and sides, then place a 10-inch parchment round in the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
3. Combine egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat this mixture until it begins to become light and lemon color, although tripling in volume.
4. Sift together the flour and cornstarch. Stir this into the egg yolk mixture. Add vanilla extract and lemon and orange zest.
5. Beat egg whites until stiff firm glossy peaks form. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the egg/flour mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites. Deposit this into the prepared pan, smoothing the top and making sure it is level.
6. Bake until baked and light brown, about 12-18 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan. Use as needed.

Creamy Caramelized Banana and Milk Chocolate Ganache:
Yield: Makes 22 ounces
1 ounce (24 grams) butter, divided
1 banana, peeled and diced
3 ounces (85 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
8 ounces (235 grams) milk chocolate, melted
12 ounces (352 grams) butter, softened

1. In a sauté pan, melt half of the butter and add the banana and sugar. Cook over medium-high heat until sugar melts, add lemon juice and continue cooking until banana caramelizes and mixture is syrupy. Remove from heat. Add remaining butter, stir to mix in and cool.
2. Temper milk chocolate to 86?F and then mix with the softened butter to create a ganache emulsion. To this ganache emulsion add the banana syrup and mix thoroughly to combine. Chill mixture until creamy and thickened.

Nougatine:
6 ounces (168 grams) almonds, sliced thin and lightly toasted
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
12 ounces (340 grams) granulated sugar
2 ounces (56 grams) butter

Banana and Nougatine Ice Cream:
Yield: Makes 3 pints
15 ounces (444 grams) half and half cream
15 ounces (412 grams) milk
5 each egg yolks (170 grams)
4 ounces (9 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 ounce vanilla paste
6 ounces (2 each) ripe bananas, pureed
3 to 4 ounces crushed Nougatine

Swiss Meringue:
Yield: Makes 8 to 14 (3-inch disks)
4 ounces (106 grams) egg whites
7 ounces (210 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 ounce (15 grams) glucose or corn syrup
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

Japonaise Meringue Batter:
1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
2. Sift together almond flour, potato starch and powdered sugar. Set aside. Whip egg whites until soft peaks form, then slowly add the granulated sugar and continue beating until firm glossy peaks form. Do not over whip. Fold in the vanilla extract.
3. Fold in the almond mixture by hand. Place this mixture in a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain tip. Pipe 2 1/2-inch rounds on parchment or silpat. Smooth tops.
4. Bake until meringue is firm and can be lifted from the paper, approximately 45-65 minutes. Cool and use or store in an airtight container.

Citrus Savoy Biscuit:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare a 10-inch cake pan by greasing the bottom and sides, then place a 10-inch parchment round in the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
3. Combine egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat this mixture until it begins to become light and lemon color, although tripling in volume.
4. Sift together the flour and cornstarch. Stir this into the egg yolk mixture. Add vanilla extract and lemon and orange zest.
5. Beat egg whites until stiff firm glossy peaks form. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the egg/flour mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites. Deposit this into the prepared pan, smoothing the top and making sure it is level.
6. Bake until baked and light brown, about 12-18 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan. Use as needed.

Creamy Caramelized Banana and Milk Chocolate Ganache:
1. In a sauté pan, melt half of the butter and add the banana and sugar. Cook over medium-high heat until sugar melts, add lemon juice and continue cooking until banana caramelizes and mixture is syrupy. Remove from heat. Add remaining butter, stir to mix in and cool.
2. Temper milk chocolate to 86 degrees F and then mix with the softened butter to create a ganache emulsion. To this ganache emulsion add the banana syrup and mix thoroughly to combine. Chill mixture until creamy and thickened.

Nougatine:
1. Lightly oil a rolling pin, wooden or polyurethane, and a silpat. Set this aside.
2. Place the almonds on a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place nuts in 225?F oven to warm while preparing sugar mixture.
3. In a saucepan, place the granulated sugar and heat over medium heat. Stir with a spoon or heatproof spatula until beginning to melt. Add the lemon juice and continue to cook, stirring frequently over medium until a clear golden caramel syrup is achieved. Add almonds and cook until the nut-sugar mixture is an amber caramel. Add butter and stir to combine.
4. Quickly pour this mixture out in the center onto the prepared oiled silpat and allow to cool slightly. Bring corners of silpat up over the nougatine and begin to push the nougatine down. Fold down the silpat corners and then start rolling out the nougatine with the oiled rolling pin. Roll the candy out to about 1/4- to 1/8-inch thickness, working quickly as it will cool rapidly. If it cools too quickly, place nougatine still on the silpat on a sheet pan and place in the 225 degrees F oven to rewarm and then continue to roll to desired thinness.
5. Allow to cool and then break up the nougatine to desired size or pulse in a food processor for a more finely crushed texture.

Banana and Nougatine Ice Cream:
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream and half and half. Bring this mixture to just scalding. Remove from heat. Combine egg yolks, sugar and vanilla paste in a bowl; stir to combine. Temper the heated cream mixture into the yolk mixture.
2. Pour mixture back into saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until it coats the back of a heat-resistant rubber spatula and reaches 180 degrees F on a thermometer. Remove from heat and strain into a separate bowl.
3. Place bowl over an ice bath and chill until it reaches 40 degrees F or less. It is now ready to be churned in an ice cream freezer. Once the mixture has frozen and thickened in the freezer, fold in the banana puree and the crushed nougatine garnish. Freeze until completely firm.

Swiss Meringue:
1. In a heatproof stainless steel bowl, combine the egg whites, sugar and corn syrup and place over simmering water. Continue to cook, stirring constantly until sugar is no longer granular or until 120 degrees F.
2. Remove from heat and put into a mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Whip until stiff peaks form, slowly adding lemon juice.

Assembly:
1. Begin by placing a Japonaise disk on a 10-inch dessert plate. Spread a small amount of the Caramelized Banana Milk Chocolate Ganache on top of the disk and then place a savoy biscuit on top of the ganache. Spread or pipe additional milk chocolate ganache on top of the biscuit. Using a No. 16 scoop, place a scoop of the banana nougatine ice cream on top of the ganache.
2. Pipe or spread with a spatula a generous amount of Swiss meringue over the Alaska, making sure to cover the ice cream completely and all around the dessert to cover. With a blow torch, lightly brown the meringue. Finish the plate with crushed nougatine and mango sauce.

Note: This recipe can be portioned and placed in the freezer until service. It will hold up to six hours in the freezer.

Yield

1 serving

Tags

Dessert, The National Culinary Review

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Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals