Baked Alaska Macarons
Macarons are one of the most versatile treats you can make, coming in a variety of flavors, with naturally gluten free shells. The sans gluten shells make them a fitting sub for a variety of desserts, hello macaron cakes and donuts! Over the years I’ve experimented with several different macaron desserts for the blog and I’m pretty sure these Baked Alaska Macarons are a first! After giving them a try, they certainly won’t be a last! I’d been hoping to add a macaron twist to the classic dessert since last year and the results were beyond expectations! Chewy chocolate macaron shells, topped with a mound of dairy free raspberry ice cream, finished with a layer of torched marshmallowy meringue! This recipe has easily become a new favorite in my family, soon to be in yours too!
This recipe and design concept was originally created and published by Posh Little Designs, LLC, 2023. Please credit back to the original source and tag on social media if using this concept/recipe.
Baked Alaska Macarons
Baked Alaska Macarons, with a chocolate macaron shell base, raspberry ice cream core, topped with torched Italian meringue. A modern bite-sized spin on the classic Baked Alaska dessert. Dairy Free & Gluten Free.
What is Baked Alaska?
Baked Alaska is a dessert said to have originated in America in the 1800s. It’s classically made with a cake or sponge base, followed by a layer of ice cream that’s covered in meringue. The ice cream cake is then baked in the oven at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for 2-3 minutes to toast the exterior, with the cake base and meringue insulating the ice cream so it doesn’t melt. Once removed from the oven it’s the perfect texture for cutting and serving. The meringue can also be toasted with a kitchen torch, which is how these ones were made.
Once the baked Alaska is sliced, or in this case, enjoyed with a spoon, the ice cream center is revealed.
Using macarons for the mini Baked Alaska, gives this dessert a modern taste, with a French twist!
Topped with raspberry flavored ice cream, it is undoubtedly the most heavenly dessert mashup I’ve tried yet!
How do Baked Alaska Macarons taste?
The baked Alaska macarons are nothing short of dreamy! That layer of toasted meringue with the tart raspberry ice cream, fresh berry core and chocolate macaron shell, is TDF! It’s like tasting a macaron ice cream sandwich, yet elevated with the toasty marshmallowy meringue. Each bite, like a cloud of fruit and vanilla cream with welcomed texture from the chocolate macaron. All of these flavor components work in harmony and are the perfect size to enjoy another.
Baked Alaska Macaron Supplies/Ingredients
Below is a list of all the supplies and ingredients you’ll need to make Baked Alaska Macarons at home.
Chocolate Macarons
- Egg whites
- Quality almond flour – fine ground
- Powdered sugar
- Cocoa Powder
- Water
- Granulated Sugar
- Cream of tartar
- Electric or stand mixer
- Rubber Spatula
- Scale
- 2 Baking sheets
- Silicone mat
- Piping Bag
- Round tip 12
Ice Cream
- 2 Pints of Ice Cream of choice. I used Dairy Free Oat Milk ice cream.
- 1 pint fresh raspberries, washed, patted dry and halved.
- 1 Silicone mold (15 1.5″ cavity)
- Piping bag
Italian Meringue
- Egg whites
- Granulated sugar
- Water
- Candy thermoter
- Piping Bag fitted with star tip 4B
- Blow Torch
How to make Baked Alaska Macarons
This recipe is a medium level of complexity, with the macarons being the most difficult part. But the baked Alaska recipe can be done in segments to make the process easier/quicker. For instance, make the macaron shells a day in advance. You could also put the ice cream into the molds in advance so all you need to complete the day of making the dessert is the Italian Meringue/assembly.
The ice cream can be store bought to speed up the dessert making process. Start by partially thawing 2 pints of ice cream in any flavor of choice. Once partially thawed, transfer ice cream to a piping bag and squeeze semi-soft ice cream into the cavities of the silicone dome. Place a fresh berry in the center of each mold, then transfer to the freezer. While the ice cream is freezing, begin baking the macaron shells, using the recipe below. You can also reference this macaron guide for step by step instructions. Once the macaron shells have baked and cooled, move on to the Italian Meringue. Follow the meringue instructions then transfer completed batch to a piping bag fitted with tip 4B or equivalent.
Assembly
Assembling the Baked Alaska Macarons is quite easy! Place each macaron feet side down on a solid surface. Quickly top each shell with ice cream domes
Then immediately pipe with meringue, starting at the bottom of the shell, making sure to cover the ice cream entirely with meringue before torching.
Dust in edible glitter, then quickly transfer to the freezer to keep frozen, or serve immediately.
What Meringue is best for Baked Alaska?
There are 3 different types of meringue used in baking. French, Swiss and Italian. Through experience I’ve learned that Italian meringue it is the sturdiest and densest of the three, making it a great choice for Baked Alaska. It’s also heated by way of simple syrup, meaning that it’s cooked and safe for consuming; unlike French meringue which must be heated before consuming.
Italian meringue will also pipe well and hold its form form topping pies, cookies and cakes and is my personal choice for macaron methods although Swiss is another popular option.
Print
Baked Alaska Macarons
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 32
- Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
- Yield: 20 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baked Alaska
- Cuisine: Dessert
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Baked Alaska Macarons, with a chocolate macaron shell base, raspberry ice cream core, topped with torched Italian meringue. A modern bite-sized spin on the classic Baked Alaska dessert. Dairy Free & Gluten Free.
Ingredients
Chocolate Macaron Shells:
- 106 grams of almond meal
- 86 grams powdered sugar
- 20 grams cocoa powder
- 41 and 45 grams of egg whites divided
- 115 grams of granulated sugar
- 78 grams of water
- dash of cream of tartar or lemon juice for stabilizing
- Piping bag
- Round tip 12
- Candy thermometer
- Scale
Ice Cream:
- 2 pints of dairy free raspberry ice cream partially thawed
- 1 pint fresh raspberries rinsed, patted dry and halved
- One 15 cavity silicone mold 1.5″
- Piping bag
Italian Meringue
- 45 grams of egg whites
- 115 grams of granulated sugar
- 78 grams of water
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Dash of cream of tartar or lemon juice for stabilizing
- Candy thermometer
- Kitchen torch
- Piping bag fitted with star tip
Instructions
Chocolate Macaron shells:
- Wipe down the mixing bowl and whisk attachment with vinegar to remove any built up residue.
- Prep and measure all of the ingredients using a kitchen scale.
- Prep a piping bag with a round tip. I use Wilton tip 12.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
- Combine measured almond meal, powdered sugar and cocoa powder together in a bowl. Sift one time to remove any lumps, discarding of them, then mix together to break up clumps.
- Make a well in the center of the dry mix and pour the 41 grams of measured egg whites into the center of the dry mixture. Fold together until blended and mix well until fully incorporated. The finished mix will be paste-like. Set aside
- Sugar syrup: To make the sugar syrup, heat granulated sugar and water in a pot on medium heat with a candy thermometer attached to the side. **Be careful to make sure the thermometer is not touching the bottom of the pot**.
- Once the thermometer’s temperature reaches approximately 200 degrees F, place the 45 grams of measured egg whites in the stand mixer and whisk on medium speed, to soft peaks.
Add a drop of lemon juice or dash of cream of tartar to stabilize, THEN continue whisking.
If the egg whites are at soft peaks before the syrup reaches 248 F, turn the mixer down to low speed to keep the egg whites moving. - As soon as the sugar syrup reaches 248 degrees F, remove from heat.
- Quickly increase mixer speed to medium and begin slowly pouring the sugar syrup down the side of your mixing bowl into the meringue until thoroughly combined.
- Then increase the mixing speed to high and whisk sugar and meringue together until glossy and medium peaks form and the meringue has cooled. (The meringue should keep its form.)
- Gently transfer finished meringue into the almond/powdered sugar/cocoa mixture in thirds, making sure that it’s fully incorporated before adding the additional 3rd of meringue.
- Continue to fold the batter in a circular motion, going around the edges of the bowl, then once through the center. Repeat these steps until smooth and thick ribbons of batter run off the spatula.
**Be careful not to over-mix** - You want the batter to be slightly thick, but not so thin that it does not hold the ribbon shape. Err on the side of caution.
- Transfer batter to the prepped piping bag.
- Pipe 1.5″ rounds about 1″ apart on a silpat mat, piping until the sheet is full.
- Be sure to hold the piping bag about 1/2 inch directly above the baking sheet when piping the rounds.
- *Tap the macarons on the counter three times to release air bubbles.
- *Pop any air bubbles that might’ve come to the surface, using a scribe or even a toothpick.
- Before placing the macs in the oven, let them to rest until a proper skin has formed on the outside of the shell. This can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes. For the large shells I recommend 30 minutes total, depending on humidity. Test by touching the center of the piped macs with a clean finger. They should be dry to touch with no batter coming off on fingers.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Once dry to touch, place the macarons in the middle rack of the oven.
- Feet will form halfway through the baking process.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes.
- You can open the oven after the first 15 minutes to test the shells. Wiggle gently from side to side to see if they need more time. A fully baked macaron should be sturdy when tested.
- Once fully baked, remove from oven and let fully cool 15-20 minutes before attempting to remove the shells from the silpat/parchment paper.
- Once macarons are completely cool, gently remove from parchment paper/silpat.
- Repeat same steps to bake the remaining macaron batter.
Ice cream:
- The ice cream can be store bought to speed up the dessert making process.
- Start by partially thawing 2 pints of ice cream in any flavor of choice.
- Once partially thawed, transfer ice cream to a piping bag and squeeze semi-soft ice cream into the cavities of the silicone mold.
- Place a fresh berry in the center of each mold, then transfer to the freezer.
Italian Meringue:
- Start by making simple syrup.
- Heat granulated sugar and water in a pot on medium heat with a candy thermometer attached to the side. **Make sure the thermometer is not touching the bottom of the pot**.
- Once the thermometer’s temperature reaches approximately 200 degrees F, place the 45 grams of measured egg whites in the stand mixer and whisk on medium speed, to soft peaks.
Add a drop of lemon juice or dash of cream of tartar to stabilize, THEN continue whisking.
If the egg whites are at soft peaks before the syrup reaches 248 F, turn the mixer down to low speed to keep the egg whites moving. - As soon as the sugar syrup reaches 248 degrees F, remove from heat.
- Quickly increase mixer speed to medium and begin slowly pouring the sugar syrup down the side of your mixing bowl into the egg whites until thoroughly combined.
- THEN increase the mixing speed to high and whisk sugar and meringue together until glossy and stiff peaks form.
- Transfer meringue to a piping bag and set aside.
Assembling the Baked Alaska Macarons:
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees is not using a kitchen torch.
- Place each macaron feet side down on a solid surface.
- Quickly top each shell with ice cream domes.
- Then pipe the ice cream domes with Italian meringue, starting at the bottom of the macaron shell working your way to the top, making sure all the ice cream is covered in meringue.
- Either place in the oven for 2 minutes, or toast the meringue with a kitchen torch.
- Dust with edible glitter and serve immediately, or transfer to the freezer until ready to serve.
Notes
Any flavor or style of ice cream will work with this recipe. It does not have to be dairy free.
The ice cream flavors in this baked Alaska can be adapted to suit your tastebuds and can be made with regular dairy ice cream!
The treat is also a great option for parties, since they are miniature in size and can be made a few hours in advance/or frozen until ready to serve!
With spring and summer coming up soon, these mini Baked Alaskas are the perfect party treat to enjoy!
Be sure to tag me over on social media @poshlittledesigns if you give the recipe a try!
This post titled Baked Alaska Macarons was seen first on Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved. 2023.
