This recipe from Alyeska Executive Pastry Chef Scott Fausz is not for the faint of heart.
With two kinds of mousse, ganache and meringue to make, you'll need to prepare yourself. Since all parts must be made in consecutive order, plan to start your Alyeska at least a day in advance.
Baked Alyeska
From Scott Fausz, executive pastry chef, Alyeska Resort
Editor's notes: We've converted recipe quantities into volume measurements in order to be more user friendly for home cooks, but you can follow the weight measurements to be more exact.
Be advised this recipe uses some ingredients that are somewhat unusual, including gelatin sheets and meringue powder.
You can save yourself a few precious steps by buying pre-made chocolate cake or pound cake -- it will work fine.
Some equipment you'll need: Stand mixer, multiple bowls, rubber spatulas, whisks, small and round 8-inch bowl, pan spray, plastic wrap, vinyl gloves or a piping bag and a blow torch.
Serves 10
For the raspberry mousse
1 cup (7.5 fl oz) seedless raspberry puree, divided
1.5 tablespoons (.75 oz) powdered sugar
4.5 sheets of gelatin, bloomed in cool water
1 ¼ cup (9 fl oz) heavy cream
2 tablespoons (1 oz) chocolate shavings or mini chocolate morsels
For the chocolate mousse
1 cup (8.5 fl oz) heavy cream
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons (1 oz) granulated sugar
1.25 sheets gelatin, bloomed
1/2 cup (4.25 oz) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped and melted
For the chocolate ganache
1 cup (8 fl oz) heavy cream
1 cup (8 oz) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
For the meringue
3 teaspoons (.5 oz) meringue powder
1 cup (6.5 oz) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (3.25 fl oz) hot water
1. Make the raspberry mousse: In medium pot, whisk half of the raspberry puree with the powdered sugar. Bring to boil while whisking to dissolve sugar. Once sugar dissolves, remove from heat. Drain the bloomed gelatin sheets and whisk them into the puree mixture until fully combined. Whisk in remainder of puree and cool until it's about body temperature. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream to medium peaks and gently fold into the puree-gelatin mixture until combined. Fold in chocolate curls.
2. Make the chocolate mousse: Whip 3/4 cup of heavy cream until it has medium peaks and set aside. In another mixing bowl, whip egg yolks and granulated sugar until the mixture is a light yellow color. While yolks are whipping, bring 1/4 cup amount of cream to boil and then pour over drained, bloomed gelatin sheets, stirring to dissolve gelatin. Pour gelatin and hot cream mixture over the bittersweet chocolate, whisking until the chocolate has completely melted. With mixer on low speed, pour melted chocolate/gelatin mixture over the whipped yolk/sugar mixture and combine. Quickly fold in reserved whipped cream until the mixture is light and streak free.
Note: Steps 3-5 are to be done after the baked Alyeska has gone into the freezer overnight.
3. Make the chocolate ganache: Bring heavy cream to a boil. Pour over chopped dark chocolate, whisk until combined.
4. Make the meringue: In a standing mixer with whisk attachment, whisk meringue powder, half cup of sugar and hot water on medium speed until sugar is completely dissolved. Slowly sprinkle in remaining sugar and raise mixer speed to medium. Whip meringue until stiff peaks form. Use immediately.
5. Assemble the baked Alyeska
Step 1 – Spray small, 8-inch round bowl with pan spray and then line with plastic wrap, laying it down as smoothly as possible. Spread freshly made raspberry mousse into bottom of bowl, level with spatula. Cover with a thin disk of chocolate cake cut to diameter of bowl. (You can layer thin slices of pound cake on the raspberry mousse instead of the chocolate cake if you prefer).
Step 2 – Spread freshly made chocolate mousse on the first layer of cake and level with spatula. Place a cake disk on top of chocolate mousse. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
Step 3 – Unmold cake/mousse dome from bowl and place on platter. Carefully drizzle the hot chocolate ganache over the dome, completely encasing it in chocolate. Place cake in freezer to harden. Cake can be store in freezer indefinitely, until almost ready to serve.
Step 4 – Spread the freshly made meringue over the top and sides of the dome using an icing spatula, gloved hand or piping bag. Be sure to completely encase the cake with a half-inch-thick layer of meringue. Once covered, use a blow torch (or broiler) to carefully brown the exterior of the meringue. Allow cake to rest 2 to 3 hours in the refrigerator before to serving.