Bon Appetit Desserts (149 page)

½ pound English toffee or toffee candy bars, coarsely crushed

¼ cup chopped pecans

CAKE
: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom with waxed paper; butter paper thoroughly.

Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks in medium bowl until thick and pale yellow. Gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar, beating until mixture is thick and ribbon forms. Mix nuts and flour in small bowl; fold into egg yolk mixture (mixture will be thick). Using electric mixer fitted with clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar; continue beating until whites are stiff but not dry. Mix ⅓ of egg white mixture into yolk mixture, then fold in remaining whites. Transfer batter to prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake just until cake springs back when touched with fingers and is lightly browned, about 22 minutes. Cool in pan on cake rack 30 minutes (cake will shrink). Remove cake from pan. Cool completely. Wrap in plastic and freeze until ready to assemble, at least several hours or overnight.

FILLING
: Spray 8¾-inch-diameter metal bowl (about 3 ¼ inches deep) with nonstick spray. Line with plastic wrap, allowing to extend a few inches over sides.

Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks until creamy. Add both sugars; continue beating until thick and creamy.

Combine milk and marshmallows in medium bowl. Set over saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until marshmallows are melted, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolk mixture; cook until mixture thickens and ribbons dissolve slowly, whisking frequently, about 20 minutes. Add pumpkin, spices, and salt; whisk to blend. Cool completely.

Using electric mixer, beat cream in large bowl to soft peaks. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add superfine sugar; continue beating until stiff but not dry. Beat in salt. Fold cream into pumpkin mixture. Add meringue; fold gently but thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to plastic-lined bowl. Cover well and freeze at least 24 hours.

MERINGUE
: Just before assembling and serving, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; continue beating until soft peaks form. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in superfine sugar about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, until sugar is completely dissolved and meringue is stiff and glossy. Set aside.

ASSEMBLY
: Combine toffee with pecans. Sprinkle toffee-pecan mixture over frozen pumpkin cream to within ¼ inch of sides. Unwrap cake; invert onto toffee-pecan mixture and peel off waxed paper. Place tart pan bottom atop cake. Invert ice cream and cake onto tart pan bottom. Remove bowl and peel off plastic. Place cake on baking sheet. Immediately cover filling and cake completely with meringue (make sure all surfaces are well sealed). Freeze at least 4 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.

Preheat oven to 500°F. Bake until meringue is golden brown, watching closely to avoid overbrowning, about 3 minutes. Transfer to platter and serve.

Coffee-Almond Baked Alaska with Coffee-Caramel Sauce

Instead of the traditional layer of sponge cake, this baked Alaska gets two delicious layers of buttery, amaretti-espresso crust. And instead of one ice cream, it has two: purchased toasted almond and coffee, which are molded and frozen into a “bombe” using a 10-cup bowl.
10 to 12 servings

1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

½ cup heavy whipping cream

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

3 tablespoons brandy, divided

2 tablespoons dark corn syrup

1½ teaspoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder

2 cups coarsely broken amaretti cookies (Italian macaroons; about 4 ounces)

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3 pints toasted almond ice cream

2 pints coffee ice cream

6 large egg whites, room temperature

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

SAUCE
: Combine sugar, cream, butter, 2 tablespoons brandy, corn syrup, and espresso powder in medium saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and boil until sauce is thickened and reduced to 1 cup, whisking often, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; cool 15 minutes. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon brandy. Transfer to microwave-safe bowl.

CRUST AND ICE CREAM LAYERS
: Grind amaretti, almonds, and espresso powder in processor. Add melted butter and 1 tablespoon sauce. Blend just until crumbs cling together.

Line 10-inch-diameter, 3½-inch-deep bowl (10-cup capacity) with plastic wrap, leaving generous overhang. Slightly soften almond ice cream in microwave on defrost setting in 10-second intervals. Spoon into bowl. Spread ice cream in even layer over bottom and up sides of bowl, leaving hollow center. Freeze 15 minutes. Sprinkle ⅔ cup crust mixture over ice cream and press gently. Slightly soften coffee ice cream in microwave on defrost setting in 10-second intervals. Spoon into hollow center of almond ice cream; smooth top. Press remaining crust mixture over ice cream. Cover with plastic. Freeze at least 3 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen. Cover and chill remaining sauce.

MERINGUE
: Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and vanilla in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until meringue is stiff, about 5 minutes.

Uncover bombe. Place 11-inch-diameter tart pan bottom on crust. Turn bombe over. Remove bowl; peel off plastic wrap. Spread meringue thickly over ice cream, swirling decoratively and sealing meringue to tart pan bottom. Freeze bombe uncovered at least 4 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.

Preheat oven to 500°F for 20 minutes. Rewarm sauce in microwave; transfer to pitcher. Place large rack on baking sheet. Place bombe on rack. Bake until meringue is pale golden but dark brown in spots, about 4 minutes; transfer to platter. Let stand 5 minutes.

Dipping heavy large knife into very hot water before each slice, cut baked Alaska into wedges. Serve with sauce.

Strawberry Milk Shakes

These rich, creamy shakes have twice the strawberry flavor: from the ice cream, and from a fresh-strawberry syrup, which is blended in and then also drizzled on top.
Makes 4

2 pints strawberry ice cream, slightly softened, divided

1 cup Strawberry Syrup (see recipe)

1 cup whole milk

Additional Strawberry Syrup

4 whole strawberries with stems (optional)

Freeze four 12-ounce glasses 1 hour.

Place 1 pint ice cream, 1 cup Strawberry Syrup, and milk in blender; puree until smooth. Add second pint of ice cream and puree until almost smooth. Divide shake among frozen glasses. Drizzle each with additional Strawberry Syrup, garnish with strawberry, if desired, and serve with spoons and straws.

Strawberry Syrup

You’ll have plenty of syrup left over after making the milk shakes. Use it to create your own homemade strawberry soda (just add sparkling water and a squeeze of lime), drizzle over vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt, or add (just a splash) to a glass of Champagne.
Makes 2½ cups

1 pound strawberries, hulled, sliced

½ cup water

½ cup sugar

⅓ cup light corn syrup

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Bring strawberries, ½ cup water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat to prevent mixture from boiling over. Mix in lemon juice. Strain mixture into large bowl, pressing on solids in strainer to extract as much juice as possible; discard solids in strainer. Cover and chill syrup.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.

Ginger-Mango Floats