Mint Chocolate Chip Baked Alaska

Serves 12

20 mins prep

40 mins cook

270 mins Resting Time

330 mins total

Mint syrup-soaked chocolate cake and creamy mint chocolate chip ice cream encased in a fluffy, toasted meringue.

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Start the ice cream

Combine half and half, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Whisk thoroughly to dissolve sugar granules.

In a small heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and slowly stream in about ½ cup of the warm half and half mixture into the egg yolks. Then add that mixture to the half and half in the medium saucepan.

Return to the stove and whisk continuously while cooking on medium low heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon (or reaches 170°F on an instant-read thermometer). Add in the vanilla, mint extract and green food coloring and whisk to combine.

Place the heavy cream into a bowl with a fine mesh strainer on top of the bowl. Pour the warm custard into the bowl through the strainer. Discard any solids. Stir to combine.

Cover and chill in the fridge until completely cool. If you’re in a hurry you can transfer the mixture to a plastic bag and set it inside a large bowl with ice. You want the custard to be thoroughly chilled before you put it in the ice cream maker.

At this point, you can start your cake while the custard is chilling.

Make the chocolate sponge layer

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.

Beat eggs and sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment until light and fluffy and your beaters leave a trail when pulled up.

Sift in flour, cocoa and salt. Gently fold in the sifted ingredients.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 10 minutes or until you see the sponge begin to pull away from the edges of the pan.

When the cake is done, invert it and peel off the parchment from baking to cool while making the simple syrup.

Make the simple syrup

Combine water, sugar and mint in a small saucepan over medium heat. Warm over medium-low heat until all of the sugar granules are dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.

Strain the mint out and spoon the syrup evenly over the cake. Leave the cake to cool completely.

Make the mint chocolate bits

Melt the wafers according to package instructions. Pour half of the chocolate on a piece of parchment or wax paper. Working quickly, press the mint leaves in a single layer on the still melted chocolate.

Cover the mint leaves with the remaining melted chocolate. Let cool completely.

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Roughly chop once cooled. Set aside.
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Finish the ice cream

Once cooled, pour the custard into your ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer's instructions.

I used the Kitchenaid Ice Cream Maker Attachment and it took about 30 minutes to churn on the lowest setting. When finished, add the chopped mint chocolate bits and churn again just until mixed through.

Next, using a large cookie scoop or spoon, fill the bottoms of silicon molds ¾ full. I used the largest of this set, which is a half circle with about a 3-inch diameter.

Punch out 3 inch circles of the cooled chocolate sponge cake and place a circle in the mold to cover the ice cream.

Set the mold in the freezer to completely set, at least four hours or overnight. Leave them in the freezer until your meringue is ready. Make the meringue according to Serious Eats’ instructions.

Assemble

Working one at a time, pop out a frozen ice cream and cake disk and set it on a serving plate. Cover with meringue. I piped mine with a large round tip, but you can also spoon it on and make a spiky design by tapping and pulling away with the back of a spoon.

Then, freeze completely until serving. When ready to serve, toast the meringue with a kitchen torch or flambe the entire thing using alcohol. Here’s how to do it. Make sure to roll up your sleeves, tie back your hair and have a fire extinguisher nearby! Serve immediately.