Holiday Baked Alaska

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder 
• 8 oz bittersweet chocolate 
• 1 cup butter 
• 1.5 quarts ice-cream chocolate shell softened
• 0.3 teaspoon cream of tartar 
• 8  egg whites room temperature
• 4  eggs 
• 1.3 cup flour all-purpose
• 2 cups whipped cream softened (1 pint)
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla 
• 1.5 quarts whipped cream softened

Equipment

• bowl
• sauce pan
• baking paper
• oven
• whisk
• plastic wrap
• double boiler
• hand mixer
• toothpicks
• cake form
• microwave

Directions

1. Line a 3-quart bowl with plastic wrap. Fill base of bowl with peppermint ice cream; layer with mint chocolate chip ice cream, then finish with a layer of vanilla ice cream. Cover surface with plastic wrap and freeze until ice cream is very hard, at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours in advance.
2. Heat oven to 350F. Spray 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Place butter and chocolate in a medium glass bowl over a saucepan of hot water (or a double boiler) and stir the butter and chocolate until melted. This can also be done in a microwave by placing butter and chocolate in microwave-safe medium glass bowl and microwaving on High for 1 to 2 minutes or until melted, stirring once. Set aside to cool
4. In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until well combined. In another medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt until combined.
5. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the eggs and whisk to combine.
6. Add the flour to the chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.
7. Pour into cake pan.
8. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
9. When the brownie is completely cool, about 1 hour. Turn brownie out onto a large flat, ovenproof plate. Unmold the ice cream dome on top of the brownie layer.
10. Place back in the freezer.
11. With electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar for 2 minutes on medium-high speed. Increase the speed to high and add the sugar in a slow stream until stiff, glossy peaks form.
12. Remove ice cream dome from freezer.
13. Remove plastic wrap. Cover the ice cream dome with the meringue, covering it completely, using the back of spoon to make swirly peaks. Freeze for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.
14. Heat the oven to 500F.
15. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes or until the peaks start to turn a golden brown color. For easier slicing, let cake stand for 30 minutes. Slice and serve.