Individual Island Baked Alaska takes the best of both states for this easy, make ahead ice cream treat. The island part takes its flavors from Hawaii. Toasted coconut and macadamia nuts are folded into ice cream, then scooped into Texas muffin tins. A pineapple foam adds a touch of tartness to balance out the sweet meringue.
The Alaska part emulates the snow-covered state with a snow white meringue enclosing the ice cream. Lightly toasting the meringue highlights the swirls of the décor. While meringues can sometimes be finicky, following the steps below will help ensure success.
Tucked away in the freezer, Island Baked Alaska is the perfect dessert for the end of a summer meal.......or any meal for matter.
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Ingredients
Coconut Macadamia Ice Cream
- Vanilla Ice Cream purchased
- Toasted Coconut
- Macadamia Nuts
Coconut Graham Cracker Base
- Powdered Sugar
- Sweetened Coconut Flakes
- Butter
- Graham Crackers
Meringue
- Granulated Baker's Sugar
- Egg Whites
- Cream of Tartar
Pineapple Foam
- Fresh pineapple - cleaned and chunked
- Granulated Sugar
- Dark Rum - Meyer's Dark Rum
- Instant Clearjel thickens without heat. It's particularly good added directly to fresh fruit a little at a time to thicken it. This post about Thickeners and on how to use it is a great source of information. Make sure to use the instant variety. The regular Clearjel will not work here.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the exact ingredients and instructions.
Recipe Instructions
Coconut Macadamia Ice Cream
Step 1. Toast the coconut and macadamia nuts. Cool before using. Use this method to quickly cut the macadmias.
Step 2. Soften ice cream slightly before stirring in the coconut and macadamia nuts.
Step 3. Scoop into six Texas muffin tins using a #6 disher/scooper. Alternatively, measure ⅔ cup for each hole. Freeze until the tops are very firm but not completely frozen throughout.
IStep 4. ngredients for the coconut graham cracker base mixed together.
Meringue
For more information please see my post on Meringue Shells.
Step 1. Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar to the soft peak stage before adding sugar.
Step 2. Slowly add sugar about a tablespoon at a time. Beat 10 to 15 seconds before adding additional sugar.
Step 3. Meringue ready to pipe when it is very stiff and glossy.
Step 4. Fit a piping bag with a ⅜" or ½"open star pastry tip. Pipe a small dot of meringue on the work surface.
Step 5. Place one frozen ice cream on top of the meringue to hold it in place while being piped.
Step 6. Pipe from the bottom up to the top edge, leaving about ¼" of the base unpiped. This will make it easier to transfer it without marring the decor. Freeze until hard.
Step 7. Pipe meringue on top connecting it to the side edges. Freeze until hard.
Step 8. Use either a propane tank or butane tank to brown the frozen meringue.
Pineapple Foam
Step 9. This is a to your taste recipe meaning you add the sugar and rum to whatever amount of pineapple you have. Combine all but the Instant Clearjel. Stir well. Add half of the Clearjel directly into the mixture. Stir well. Wait for about 5 minutes. If the foam needs to be thicker, add a bit more.
Helpful Hint: Humidity makes it difficult to beat meringue to stiff peaks. Finish the Island Baked Alaska on a dry day with low humidity.
Substitutions
Any ice cream can be used for these. Actually any additives can be substituted for the coconut and macadamia nuts although it may not be an Island baked Alaska. Additionally, the meringue can be flavored with a teaspoon of whatever you like added at the very end of the beating.
Equipment
- Scale
- Measuring cups, spoons
- Assorted bowls
- Sheet pans
- Food processor
- Texas muffin tin - 6 cup
- Mixer
- Piping bag
- Piping tip - ⅜" to ½"
- Propane or butane tank
- Freezer space for Muffin tin
Storage
These must be stored in the freezer.
Top tip
Use a generous amount of meringue to finish each of the baked Alaskas. If you're not into piping, just spoon it on and swirl it with the tip of the spoon.
Individual Island Baked Alaska
Ingredients
Coconut Macadamia Ice Cream
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes (85 grams or 3 ounces)
- 1 cup macadamia nuts (130 grams or 4 ¼ ounces)
- 1 quart purchased vanilla ice cream
Coconut Graham Cracker Base
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes (85 grams or 3 ounces)
- ⅔ cup graham cracker crumbs (85 grams or 3 ounces)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (35 grams or 1 ¼ ounces)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (85 grams or 3 ounces
Meringue
- 6 egg whites (200 grams or 7 ounces)
- 1 ½ cups baker’s sugar (300 grams or 10 ½ ounces)
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Pineapple Foam
- Fresh pineapple
- Granulated sugar to taste
- Dark Rum, optional
- 1 to 2 teaspoons clearjel per 1 ½ cups puree
Instructions
Coconut Macadamia Ice Cream
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the muffin holes well with a non-stick baking release. Set aside.
- Place the coconut on one end of a half sheet and the macadamia nuts on the other end. Toast for 7 to 9 minutes until they are golden brown. Stir the coconut once or twice to make sure it evenly browns. If one or the other is done first, remove it and continue to toast the other. Cool completely.
- Cut or smash the macadamia nuts and set aside. Combine them with the coconut.
- Soften the ice cream. Sprinkle the macadamia mixture over the ice cream and stir all together.
- Scoop into 6 muffin holes using a #6 disher/scooper or measure ⅔ cup for each hole. Press the ice cream down so there are no air holes.
- Freeze until the tops are very, very firm.
- Combine the ingredients for the coconut graham cracker base.
- When the ice cream is ready, top with ¼ cup of the base, pressing down to flatten out to make it adhere to the sides. Freeze until solidly frozen.
Meringue
- Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the mixing bowl. Beat on medium until soft peaks form.
- Slowly add the sugar about a tablespoon at a time beating 10 to 15 seconds before adding additional sugar. Continue until all the sugar is used.
- Beat until the meringue is very stiff and glossy.
- Fit a piping bag with a ⅜" or ½"open star pastry tip. Pipe a small dot of meringue on the work surface.
- Place one frozen ice cream on top of the meringue dot to hold it in place while being piped.
- Pipe from the bottom up to the top edge, leaving about ¼" of the base unpiped. This will make it easier to transfer it without marring the decor. Freeze until hard.
- Pipe the meringue on top connecting it to the side edges. Freeze until hard.
- Using either a propane tank or butane tank, brown the frozen meringue.
- At this point the Island Baked Alaskas may be stored in the freezer for several week.
Pineapple Foam
- This is a to your taste recipe. There are no amounts. Fruit has varying amounts of sweetness so taste it before adding sugar and rum.
- Clean and cut the pineapple. Add as much as you want to the processor. Let it process long enough to make the foam. Remove from the processor.
- Add sugar and rum to taste. I used a couple of teaspoons of rum to 1 ½ cups puree.
- Add 1 teaspoons of instant Clearjel per 1 ½ cups of puree. Stir well. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Add another teaspoon of Clearjel if the mixture is too thin.
Notes
Nutrition
Amy Roeder says
Helen-
I do not see measurements for the pineapple foam ingredients on recipe card? Did I miss them somewhere?
Looks like a fabulous recipe I would love to make for my mom!!!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Amy and Lynn - thanks for bringing this to my attention. The Pineapple Foam is a to your taste recipe but I have updated the card and now has more instruction on it. Truthfully, we couldn't stop eating it.
Lynn says
I can't find the ingredient amounts for the pineapple foam?
Mary says
What a good idea! I never thought of making individual Baked Alaska and this is brilliant instruction for putting them together.
Many thanks :))
Helen S Fletcher says
Thank you Mary. They are a lot of fun to serve and to eat.