Baked Alaska flavor without all the work

Baked Alaska is a celebrated dessert at Antoine’s restaurant in New Orleans. Since there is a lot of preparation, you must order it at the beginning of your meal. Making Baked Alaska at home can be a daunting task.

So I wondered, how can you get the same flavors without all of the work involved? I stumbled upon this recipe. To my pleasant surprise, it comes very close. This is a recipe that can easily be replicated in a home kitchen. So, gather up your ingredients, and Let’s head to the kitchen.

Chocolate Mousse

The only mousse I like more that chocolate is white chocolate mousse. The key to both of the mousse recipes is to not heat the water and gelatin too much.

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon vaniilla

In a small saucepan, whisk together 2 tablespoons of water and the gelatin. Heat over medium heat just until bubbles form around the edge (Do not boil.) Remove from heat, and whisk in chocolate until smooth. Let cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beat until combined. Add cooled chocolate mixture, and beat until combined. Use immediately.

Strawberry Mousse

White chocolate and strawberries are a match made in heaven. One of my wife’s favorite dessert is White Chocolate Strawberry cheesecake. She would order that every time we went to Copeland’s. Unfortunately, the one in Little Rock closed.

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

3 ounces white chocolate, chopped

3 ounces fresh strawberries, chopped

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon vaniilla

In a small saucepan, whisk together 2 tablespoons water and gelatin. Heat over medium heat just until bubbles form around the edge (Do not boil.) Remove from heat, and whisk in white chocolate until smooth. Let cool.

In a medium bowl, stir together strawberries and granulated sugar together. Let stand for 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to the work bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth. Add strawberry purée to white chocolate mixture, stirring until combined.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beat until combined. Add cooled chocolate mixture, and beat until combined. Use immediately.

Baked Alaska Mousse Cups

Here is the assembly for the dessert.

Chocolate Mousse (recipe above)

Strawberry Mousse (recipe above)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 egg whites), room temperature

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chopped chocolate

In the bottom of 6 (8-ounce) glasses, pipe Chocolate Mousse. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Pipe Strawberry Mousse on top of Chocolate Mousse. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

In the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt by hand. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cook, whisking frequently, until sugar completely dissolves and an instant-read thermometer registers 120-130℉.

Carefully return bowl to stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat at high speed until stiff peaks form and bowl is cool to the touch, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla.

Scoop a heaping spoonful of meringue on top of Strawberry Mousse. Using a handheld kitchen torch, carefully brown meringue. Garnish with chopped chocolate.

While this appears like this is a single recipe, you can use the mousse recipes as stand alone desserts. Mousse is a great way to finish a meal. It’s easy to find recipes for various different flavors.

I hope you enjoy my recipes. I am working on rereleasing my first cookbook, You Can’t Take New Orleans Out Of The Cook. We hope to have it out by early November. I will be sharing some recipes from it soon.