Baked Alaska: White Nectarine Ice Cream and Brown Butter Pound Cake

ingredients:

For the White Nectarine Ice Cream

• 4 white nectarines
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup whole milk

For the Brown Butter Pound Cake

• 9 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup cake flour*
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt

*Note: to make your own cake flour, sift together 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the Meringue

• 8 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar

Preparation Instructions:

For the White Nectarine Ice Cream

1. Cut white nectarines into small cubes.
2. In a small mixing bowl, create a slurry of cornstarch, a bit of the granulated sugar and some of the milk. Whisk until smooth.
3. Place cubed white nectarine, remaining sugar, cream and remaining milk in medium saucepan. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove boiling mixture from heat. Stir in cornstarch slurry. Return mixture to heat and bring to a boil. Remove mixture from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl.
5. Place large mixing bowl in an ice bath and allow mixture to cool slightly.
6. When mixture is slightly cooled, remove from ice bath and pour into a blender (or use a stick blender directly in the mixing bowl). Blend until smooth.
7. the following morning, spin liquid in ice cream machine until a soft-serve consistency is achieved, about 15 minutes.

For the Brown Butter Pound Cake

1. Place the butter in a 10” skillet over medium heat. Brown the butter until the milk solids are a dark chocolate brown and the butter smells nutty, about 5 minutes. Pour into a shallow bowl and chill in the freezer until just congealed, about 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a loaf pan with non-stick spray.
3. Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Beat the brown butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well, and then the vanilla extract.
5. Stir in the flour mixture at low speed until just combined.
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula and rap the pan on the counter. Bake until golden brown on top and when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes.
7. Cool in the pan 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edge and invert right-side-up onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the Meringue

1. Beat the egg whites and salt on high speed in an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
2. Beat in the sugar gradually in a slow stream until stiff peaks form.

Assembly Instructions:

1. Line four small bowl or tea cups, approximately 4” diameter, with plastic wrap, so that plastic wrap covers all the sides and hangs over the edge. Fill to the top with ice cream, straight from the ice cream machine. Cover the top with the overhang plastic wrap and freeze for several hours, or until solid.