The Best Liquor To Use When You Light Up Baked Alaska

Served flaming yet frozen, you might consider baked Alaska to be one of those complicated dishes that aren't worth making at home. But if you get it right, it's a genuine showstopper that's guaranteed to wow guests. Key to its success is using the right sort of liquor when you flambe the sweet treat. To get some professional advice, Food Republic consulted Cedric Vongerichten, executive chef and owner of Wayan restaurant in New York.

Flambeing, a method of pouring alcohol over food before setting it alight, takes its name from the French word meaning "flamed" or "flaming." It's especially popular for desserts such as baked Alaska and can be performed tableside for a theatrical flourish. "I use high-proof rum or brandy," said Vongerichten, who is appearing at City Harvest's BID 2024: CHTV! charity event on October 29, 2024.

Rum or brandy both match well with the toasted marshmallowy meringue and layers of rich ice cream and cake in the dessert — especially the traditional combination of banana ice cream with walnut cake. But you can tailor the flavors of the cake and ice cream components, and pair the liquor accordingly — try cherry and chocolate ice cream with vanilla cake and a cherry liqueur, for example. Use premium store-bought ice cream if you don't want to make your own. And make sure you use a spirit that's around 40% ABV for it to light properly, and avoid anything too high-proof, which can be dangerously flammable.

When you've spent so much time preparing a baked Alaska, you'll want to ensure that the fusion of cake, meringue, and ice cream doesn't just collapse into a sticky mess as soon as it encounters the liquor and flame. "When making a baked Alaska, freeze the dessert hard before flambeing to avoid melting," chef Cedric Vongerichten suggested. Give the ice cream center a good couple of hours in the freezer before assembling the rest — then freeze the whole thing again once you've added the meringue topping, before toasting it. 

Alton Brown uses a huge torch for baked Alaska — though realistically, a three-foot-long torch is not something most people have in their kitchens, so maybe leave that one to the pros. A kitchen torch or broiler will do the job nicely. Just keep in mind that the dessert will only stay frozen at room temperature for around half an hour once the meringue has been toasted.

The flambeing itself isn't something you can do ahead of time. "[It's] important to light the liquor right before serving," advised Vongerichten. Warm your rum or brandy gently over a low heat to make it easier to set alight — but don't boil it or the alcohol will partially burn off. Try nestling a half eggshell into an indent on top of the meringue before freezing it, then use this to pour your liquor into before lighting it with a long match.