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Mini Gelato Baked Alaska

How to make Mini Gelato Brownie Baked Alaska's lizbushong.com

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Mini Gelato Baked Alaska is a real show stopper. Baked brownies in 3″ fluted springform tart pan filled with raspberry jam, pistachio and raspberry gelato frozen domes. Fresh made marshmallow topping covers the exterior of the domes then lightly toasted with kitchen torch. Serve this dessert immediately for best results.  Recipe is inspired by Pie Style- Helen Nugent.

Ingredients

Scale

Brownies:

118.2 ounce package Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix- tested Duncan Hines

1 large egg

1/3 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Brownie Filling:

6 teaspoons raspberry seedless jam or 6 teaspoons chocolate ganache

Domes:

1 cup or 8 ounces each Raspberry and Pistachio Gelato

Marshmallow Topping /Swiss Meringue- recipe makes enough for 6

4 large egg whites, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar, superfine*

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

1/8 teaspoon fine salt

Garnish: 

6– Fresh raspberries

1/4 cup pistachios, shelled- optional

Instructions

Brownies:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Lightly spray  6 mini 3″ springform tart pans with cooking spray. Place on large baking sheet. Set aside. Note: you will have excess batter, just fill muffin cup or other pan.
  2. In medium mixing bowl, mix all brownie ingredients stir just until blended. Fill tart pans 3/4 full. Bake brownies 12-15 minutes or until center of brownie is done. Insert a toothpick to check for doneness. If batter remains on the pick, bake an additional 3-5 minutes.
  3. Remove from oven, while brownies are warm, make an indention in the center of each tart, pressing the down to form a center well.  Fill this well with raspberry seedless jam or ganache. Place these tarts in refrigerator to chill. (At this point if you are making these ahead, after cooling, wrap each brownie tart still in tart pan with plastic wrap and foil.  Freeze up to 3 days.) 

Domes:

  1. Place silicone half sphere dome mold on small baking sheet.
  2. Fill domes with slightly softened pistachio and raspberry gelato or flavors of choice using 6 teaspoons. Pack gelato firmly in the mold. Use an off set spatula to smooth top of each dome.
  3. Place baking sheet with molded gelato in freezer and freeze up to 24 hours or 3 days until frozen solid. (If making ahead, leave gelato in mold, cover with plastic wrap and foil and freeze up to five days.)

Marshmallow Topping – Swiss Meringue: only make the moment you are about to assemble the dessert.

  1. Place room temperature egg whites, sugar, cream of tarter and salt in heatproof  glass bowl. Set bowl over saucepan filled with 2 inches of simmering water.  Do not allow bowl to touch the water.
  2. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and thin, about 3-4 minutes. Using an instant read thermometer text mixture for correct temperature, it should read 160°F or ( 71° C).  If you don’t have a thermometer, carefully spoon hot mixture and with your thumb and forefinger rub together to  feel mixture. If you feel grit continue to cook. You should not feel any sugar grit. Be careful doing this the mixture is very hot.
  3. Remove from heat. Add vanilla, then using a hand held or stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form. Usually takes about 5-7 minutes. Bowl will be warm to touch, but keep beating it will cool. This fluffy white stiff peaked topping is fully cooked and it really is a Swiss meringue. No butter in this recipe.  Make sure meringue/topping is at room temperature as it will melt the gelato if warm.
  4. Right before serving mini tarts, place Swiss Meringue in disposable piping bag fitted with tip #6B open shell piping tip. See Assembly below.

Assembling Dessert:

Remove one tart at a time from freezer, remove brownie base from tart pan. Remove frozen gelato from mold and place on top of raspberry jam or ganache filled brownie base. With off set spatula, coat gelato with thin layer of Swiss Meringue before piping shells. This helps seal the gelato and brownie.

Piping Shells: Hold filled piping bag fit with tip #6 B vertically and pipe medium shells or as desired. Begin at base of dome around outer edge building up the dome ending with the center top shell. Place tart back in freezer while you repeat piping each tart.

Right before serving, lightly toast the meringues with kitchen or gas propane torch.  I used a gas propane torch found at Home Depot.  Garnish each mini Alaska with a fresh raspberry right before serving if desired. 

Store in Freezer until ready to serve or if you have leftovers. 

Notes

  • You will have leftover brownie batter as this box recipe will make 
  • * To get superfine sugar, use granulated sugar in food processor with steel blade, process to finer texture. You can also use a coffee grinder without any remains of coffee from past grinds.
  • I found the gas propane torch at Home Depot and it worked beautifully. Easy to assemble and store after usage. Just be careful where you torch your mini tarts, away from anything flammable as the flame length is hard to see. 
  • Swiss Meringue is not difficult to make it is marshmallowy and perfect for piping/toasting.
  • I froze the gelato domes at least 3 days for a solid freeze. Freezing the brownies will also help with the overall frozen dessert. 
  • Assemble one tart at a time and return finished tart back to freezer, repeat with all tarts for best results.