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Passion Fruit Baked Alaska (Best Creamsicle Ever!)

Passion Fruit Baked Alaska | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Passion Fruit tastes like a combination of lemon, peach, pineapple and kiwi. It can be quite sour on its own, but adding it to a sweet and creamy ice cream is like biting into a tropical creamsicle, only way better. The tart ice cream matches beautifully with meringue and makes this passion fruit baked Alaska look fancy and festive.

If you are lucky enough to have access to fresh passion fruit, by all means use it, pulp and all. You may have best luck finding it in Asian or Latin American markets. But, I made due with juice concentrate and it worked great. You can find pure passion fruit juice at some co-op freezers or from Perfect Puree on the web. The shipping is expensive, because they pack it in dry ice and ship it overnight, but for a worthy occasion you may want to splurge. 

Tropical Fruit Resources

Tropical fruit and purees can sometimes be hard to find locally, so I often order mine online.
Fierce Fruit (for Fruit Purees)
Frieda’s
Melissa’s Produce
Miami Fruit
Rincon Tropics
Tropical Fruit Box
Vanilla Beans – here is more info on using vanilla beans

How to Make Passion Fruit Baked Alaska

Watch me make this recipe step by step here and find the full recipe at the bottom of this post!

To make the ice cream:

Freeze a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan and a serving platter.

Whisking passion fruit juice and cornstarch | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the passion fruit juice and cornstarch. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat and whisk continuously. You want to continue cooking it for about 1 minute after it starts to boil to cook out the starch. It will be slightly thickened.

Reduce the heat and add the sugar, half and half, cream and salt. It will thicken slightly due to the acid in the juice. Cook slowly just until it starts to bubble on the edges of the pan, but don’t bring it back to a boil.

Passion fruit ice cream base | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Pour the ice cream base into a shallow dish, cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 3 hours. This can be done a day ahead.

Making passion fruit ice cream | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Freeze the ice cream according to your Ice Cream Maker instructions.

Ice cream in loaf pan | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Empty the ice cream into the frozen loaf pan. Smooth the top, cover with plastic and return it to the freezer until well chilled, about 5 hours or overnight.

Loaf pan | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

When the ice cream is well set, it is time to unmold it onto the frozen serving platter. Fill a 9 x5-inch loaf pan with 1/2 inch of hot water.

Ice cream in hot water bath | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Lower the loaf pan filled with ice cream into the hot water for just a few seconds.

Molded passion fruit ice cream | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Unmold it onto the frozen platter. If it doesn’t slip out easily, just run a butter knife around the edge and try again. Freeze the ice cream while you make the meringue.

To make the meringue:

Egg whites and sugar for meringue | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Whisk together the egg whites, sugar and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Rest the bowl over a pot of simmering water to form a double boiler.

Testing meringue consistency | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Scrape down the sides of the bowl so that all the sugar is off the sides of the bowl. Continue to stir the mixture until all the sugar is melted into the eggs and you no longer feel any graininess when rubbed between your fingers, about 3-5 minutes.

Whipped meringue on whisk | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Place the bowl onto your mixer, add the vanilla, whisk on high speed until the meringue is thick and glossy and the bowl is room temperature, about 8 minutes. Be sure it is cool or it will melt the ice cream when you pipe it.

Piping meringue onto baked Alaska | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Using a pastry bag fitted with a large star Pastry Tip or a spatula, cover the ice cream completely with the meringue.

Torching meringue | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Use a Blow Torch to toast the meringue. You can refreeze the baked Alaska at any point if it feels like it is starting to melt.

Torching meringue | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Toast the meringue and serve or place back in the freezer for later.

Passion Fruit Baked Alaska | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Use a knife dipped into hot water to cut the ice cream.

Passion fruit baked Alaska | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François
Passion Fruit Baked Alaska

Passion Fruit Baked Alaska

Passion Fruit tastes like a combination of lemon, peach, pineapple and kiwi. It can be quite sour on its own, but adding it to a sweet and creamy ice cream is like biting into a tropical creamsicle, only way better. The tart ice cream matches beautifully with meringue and makes this passion fruit baked Alaska look fancy and festive.
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Ingredients

Ice Cream

  • 1 cup fruit puree, fresh or Passion Fruit Concentrate use pure unsweetened passion fruit juice
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • Pinch salt

Meringue Topping

  • 3/4 cup (about 6) egg whites room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Pinch salt

Instructions

Make the Ice Cream

  • Freeze a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan and a serving platter.
  • In a medium saucepan, whisk together the passion fruit juice and cornstarch. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat and whisk continuously. You want to continue cooking it for about 1 minute after it starts to boil to cook out the starch. It will be slightly thickened.
  • Reduce the heat and add the sugar, half and half, cream and salt. It will thicken slightly due to the acid in the juice. Cook slowly just until it starts to bubble on the edges of the pan, but don't bring it back to a boil.
  • Pour the ice cream base into a shallow dish, cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 3 hours. This can be done a day ahead.
  • Freeze the ice cream according to your Ice Cream Maker instructions.
  • Empty the ice cream into the frozen loaf pan. Smooth the top, cover with plastic and return it to the freezer until well chilled, about 5 hours or overnight.
  • When the ice cream is well set, it is time to unmold it onto the frozen serving platter. Fill a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with 1/2 inch of hot water.
  • Lower the loaf pan filled with ice cream into the hot water for just a few seconds.
  • Unmold it onto the frozen platter. If it doesn't slip out easily, just run a butter knife around the edge and try again. Freeze the ice cream while you make the meringue.

Make the Meringue

  • Whisk together the egg whites, sugar and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Rest the bowl over a pot of simmering water to form a double boiler.
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl so that all the sugar is off the sides of the bowl. Continue to stir the mixture until all the sugar is melted into the eggs and you no longer feel any graininess when rubbed between your fingers, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Place the bowl onto your mixer, add the vanilla, whisk on high speed until the meringue is thick and glossy and the bowl is room temperature, about 8 minutes. Be sure it is cool or it will melt the ice cream when you pipe it.
  • Using a pastry bag fitted with a large star Pastry Tip or a spatula, cover the ice cream completely with the meringue.
  • Use a Blow Torch to toast the meringue. You can refreeze the baked Alaska at any point if it feels like it is starting to melt.
  • Toast the meringue and serve or place back in the freezer for later. To serve, use a knife dipped into hot water to cut the ice cream.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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23 thoughts to “Passion Fruit Baked Alaska (Best Creamsicle Ever!)”

  1. I can honestly say….this was one of the best things I have ever had for dessert. Ever. You truly out-did yourself on this one! 😉 I LOVED this, and can’t wait to make one myself!! xoxo J

  2. Wow, this turned out perfectly! I’ve never tried a baked alaska before, but I’d certainly try this one – so gorgeous and love the use of passion fruit. I’m featuring this post in today’s Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution). I hope you have no objections and thanks for sharing such amazing creations…

  3. I made this over the weekend, and it was absolutely delicious! So simple to make and very tasty!

    1. Hi MD,

      You can try making it as a semifreddo, which I am going to be posting about soon. There are recipes for no churn ice creams, but I haven’t tried it with this recipe.

      Thanks, Zoë

  4. If I want to put the baked alaska back into the freezer after I’ve browned the meringue, how long can I leave it in the freezer and do I need to cover it with something or can I just put it into the freezer uncovered?

  5. i saw this on pinterest, zoe, and i find i am blown away speechless. yet another reminder (like i needed one) to go back to day one of this blog and work my way forward. i can’t wait to tackle this dessert. you are all that and some 🙂 cheers~

  6. oops… forgot to check the follow-up comment box. sorry i made you open up an extra email for naught.

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