Baked Alaska (1969)

• 1 quart  vanilla ice cream
• 1 sponge cake, 1 1/2 inches deep
• 5 egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tspn cream of tartar
• Pinch of salt

Draw a pattern of the mold in which the ice cream will be formed, and then measure 1 1/2 inches larger than the mold. Use the larger pattern to cut from the cake.

Pack the ice cream firmly in a mold or spring form cake tin, and place in the freezer until it becomes very firm.  

Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Prepare the meringue. Beat together the egg whiles, cream of tartar, salt and vanilla until the egg whites stand in soft peaks. Add the sugar gradually, beating at the top speed in the electric mixer. Transfer the meringue into a pastry bag. If you do not have one, you can do this with a spatula.

Cover a wooden board with heavy brown paper. Place the cake on the paper. Unmold the ice cream and place it in the center of the cake. Cover with meringue. Do no leave any little places where the ice cream is showing.  The meringue will act as insulation to slow down the melting process.

Put immediately in the preheated over, and cook until meringue is very light browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with fine granulated sugar, and flame the baked Alaska with brandy at the table.  

(Origin - "Crepes and Flaming Desserts" by Irena Chalmers, 1969. Revised 1976.)