Peach Baked Alaska
Nikita created this dish for MasterChef UK Professionals Season 18. The 2022 MasterChef: The Professionals champion returned to set the Skills Test benchmark for Week 7, designing a peach baked Alaska that contestants had to replicate in 20 minutes. The dish layers a Génoise sponge soaked with thyme- and vanilla-scented muscat poaching liquor, wine-poached peaches, a quick cheat's ice cream made by blending frozen peaches with restrained cream, and Italian meringue torched to golden perfection. Matt Tebbutt called the torched meringue 'brilliant' and said 'That looks lovely. Very impressed.' Monica praised the 'fresh peaches and then the ice cream still set perfectly in there.' Both contestants struggled with ice cream consistency, and one made the critical error of starting a French meringue instead of the required Italian meringue. This home version preserves every element of Nikita's benchmark while providing the time to execute each component properly. Chef’s Notes: Lessons from t…
- Time: 240 min
Source: Relaxed Recipes
Ingredients
- BAKE THE SPONGE BASE
- Preheat oven to 350°F . Line a 9-inch round cake tin with parchment paper and gr
- POACH THE PEACHES
- Bring a pan of water to the boil. Score a small cross in the base of each peach
- MAKE THE QUICK CHEAT'S PEACH ICE CREAM
- Place the frozen peach slices in a food processor. Pulse until broken into small
- ASSEMBLE THE DOME
- Line the dome mould or bowl with cling film, leaving generous overhang. Spread a
- MAKE THE ITALIAN MERINGUE
- When ready to serve, make the meringue. Place the egg whites and cream of tartar
- UNMOULD AND COVER WITH MERINGUE
- Remove the frozen dome from the freezer. Peel back the cling film and invert ont
- TORCH AND SERVE IMMEDIATELY
- Using a kitchen blowtorch, carefully brown the meringue all over, creating an ev