- Crush 10 finger biscuits and place in a bowl.
- Pour coffee over biscuits and mix well.
- Press biscuit mixture evenly into a deep 23 cm (9 in.) pie pan or springform pan.
- Line sides of pan with 15–16 biscuits. Set aside.
- Place ice cream in fridge or let stand at room temperature until soft enough to spread, about 15 minutes.
- Spread ice cream evenly over crushed-biscuit crust. (If ice cream begins to melt, put back in freezer to firm up.)
- Cover ice cream with an even layer of chocolate cookie crumbs.
- Place in freezer until firm, about 1-2 hours.
MERINGUE
In a large bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer on low speed until they start to foam.
At high speed, add salt and cream of tartar.
Gradually beat in sugar.
Continue beating egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form.
Spread meringue evenly over frozen pie with back of a wooden spoon in a swirling motion to form peaks. Using a kitchen torch, lightly torch until golden. Serve.
CHEF’S SECRET
If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can broil the meringue in the oven for a few seconds, keeping a close watch over it.
For a speedier version of the recipe, replace meringue with whipped cream and keep pie in fridge until ready to serve.
Did you know?
Baked Alaska was made famous by renowned New York City restaurant Dolmenico’s in 1867 to highlight the acquisition by the United States of the new state of Alaska.
Culinary fact
The meringue insulates the ice cream from heat so it doesn’t melt when baked, which is what gives this delicious dessert that mysterious hot/cold contrast for which it is known.