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Hi! I'm Larissa Hayden and here are some things I like.
Sunday, August 29
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Birthdays come with a lot of rules. You have to have fun on your birthday (this is the one that typically can be seen as a burden but luckily is supplemented by the next few rules). You get to tell people what to do on your birthday. You get to tell strangers it’s your birthday. You get to convince your friends to do things they normally wouldn’t do AND they can’t complain about it because it’s your birthday. #4 is my favorite. You get one day of the year to do WHATEVER you want so it has to count. This year, I pretty much only had one birthday wish: I wanted Baked Alaska. I have no idea where I heard of Baked Alaska, but I’ve been passively searching for this traditional American dessert for the last 5 years or so. It’s a composite of all of my favorite desserts in ONE, plus it takes it up a notch with the thrill of defying science by putting ice cream in the oven (!!!!). APPARENTLY I’m in the minority with my obsession with Baked Alaska, because while you can find 139+ places that have Banh Mi, there are only 3 restaurants in the 5 borough area that actually still make Baked Alaska. My BA came from Giorgio’s of Gramercy and contained: walnut sweet bread, espresso gelato, flamed meringue, and strawberry coulis. It was amazing and, BECAUSE IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY, Giorgio’s also threw in chocolate covered strawberries, a piece of Espresso Cheesecake and a piece of S’more Bread Pudding. Nice. Birthday boys and girls, if you want to test your hand at Baked Alaska and share this amazing dessert with deserving people, try this really simple recipe: Ingredients 1 layer sponge cake 1 qt. ice cream 4 egg whites 1/2 c. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 1. Beat egg whites until nearly stiff, beat in sugar gradually, add vanilla and beat until stiff. 2. Place a board at least 1 1/2 inches thick between 2 pieces of corrugated paper; cover top with waxed paper. 3. Place round of sponge cake on board, heap ice cream quickly on top, leaving a 1 inch margin of cake all around; cover thickly with meringue. 4. Brown quickly in very hot oven (450 degrees). Serve at once with chocolate, caramel or fruit sauce, if desired.

Birthdays come with a lot of rules.

  1. You have to have fun on your birthday (this is the one that typically can be seen as a burden but luckily is supplemented by the next few rules).
  2. You get to tell people what to do on your birthday.
  3. You get to tell strangers it’s your birthday.
  4. You get to convince your friends to do things they normally wouldn’t do AND they can’t complain about it because it’s your birthday.

#4 is my favorite. You get one day of the year to do WHATEVER you want so it has to count. This year, I pretty much only had one birthday wish: I wanted Baked Alaska.

I have no idea where I heard of Baked Alaska, but I’ve been passively searching for this traditional American dessert for the last 5 years or so. It’s a composite of all of my favorite desserts in ONE, plus it takes it up a notch with the thrill of defying science by putting ice cream in the oven (!!!!).

APPARENTLY I’m in the minority with my obsession with Baked Alaska, because while you can find 139+ places that have Banh Mi, there are only 3 restaurants in the 5 borough area that actually still make Baked Alaska.

My BA came from Giorgio’s of Gramercy and contained: walnut sweet bread, espresso gelato, flamed meringue, and strawberry coulis. It was amazing and, BECAUSE IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY, Giorgio’s also threw in chocolate covered strawberries, a piece of Espresso Cheesecake and a piece of S’more Bread Pudding. Nice.

Birthday boys and girls, if you want to test your hand at Baked Alaska and share this amazing dessert with deserving people, try this really simple recipe:

Ingredients
1 layer sponge cake
1 qt. ice cream
4 egg whites
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Beat egg whites until nearly stiff, beat in sugar gradually, add vanilla and beat until stiff.
2. Place a board at least 1 1/2 inches thick between 2 pieces of corrugated paper; cover top with waxed paper.
3. Place round of sponge cake on board, heap ice cream quickly on top, leaving a 1 inch margin of cake all around; cover thickly with meringue.
4. Brown quickly in very hot oven (450 degrees).
Serve at once with chocolate, caramel or fruit sauce, if desired.