PASTRY PANTHEON:
A COLLECTION OF ESSENTIAL CLASSICS

MALTED NUT BAKED ALASKA
Pastry Chef Tai Chopping, Dry Creek Kitchen
Healdsburg, California
www.charliepalmer.com

Malt Ice Cream
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 ounces sugar, divided
1 cup malted milk powder
1 teaspoon ground mace
8 large egg yolks

In a pot, combine milk, cream, and half the sugar. Stir to dissolve, add milk powder, and bring to a boil. In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and remaining sugar. Temper the hot liquid into the egg yolk/sugar, return to the heat, and whisk until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. This should only take 10 to 20 seconds. Strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer and allow to cool completely over an ice bath. Process ice cream and pipe into chilled molds such as 3-inch diameter pyramid shaped flexi molds. Freeze for several hours until solid.

Hot Chocolate Cake
8 3/4 ounces 73% bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 ounce sugar
8 3/4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
6 large eggs
13 1/4 ounce all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 3/4 ounces cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
19 1/4 ounces whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Sift together all dry ingredients and set aside. Melt chocolate in a metal bowl over simmering water and keep warm. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until blended but not fluffy. Add chocolate and mix quickly. Add vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, until blended. Scrape down the bowl, add the flour all at once, and then the milk, and mix until combined. Spread the batter onto two half-sheet pans (i.e., jelly roll pans) that have been buttered and lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow cake to cool and cut into 3-inch squares (or size of flexi mold base). Reserve until needed.

Almond Craqueline
7 3/4 ounces glucose
6 1/2 ounces sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
6 1/2 ounces sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 325ºF. In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine glucose, sugar, and butter and stir until all the butter is absorbed. Add nuts and stir until evenly coated. Pour mixture onto a Silpat-lined sheet pan and bake for 12 minutes. Allow to cool before chopping finely. Set aside in a shallow bowl. Unmold ice cream from molds and place on a slice of cake. Dip ice cream into craqueline until evenly coated and return to the freezer. Repeat process with remaining ice cream and cake.

Meringue
7 ounces egg whites, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

In a standing mixer with a whisk attachment, whip whites until frothy. Combine sugars and slowly add, one tablespoon at a time, to the whipping egg whites. Mix until meringue in stiff and shiny. Using a small spatula, coat the Alaskas with the meringue in a whimsical fashion, making sure to completely cover the surface. Return to the freezer to chill.

To Serve
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Arrange Alaskas on tray and place in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes until the meringue is light brown and crunchy. Serve baked Alaskas with a spiced cajeta (dulce de leche) sauce made from reduced goat's milk. The flavors of the malt and slightly tangy spiced caramel are perfect for each other.