Baked Alaska

We had a party for fourteen people on Sunday. It was for Dad’s birthday as well as a kind of yardwarming. We had margaritas, sangria, and Mexican beer; typical appetizers like guacamole and homemade salsa and lots of chips; a main course of shredded pork served with tortillas and fajita-style garnishes, Anasazi beans, and some green corn tamales which we bought in South Tucson; and two Baked Alaska Pies. Here’s how to make Baked Alaska:

1 graham cracker crust (I use a few pretzels in place of some of the graham crackers), baked until lightly browned

1 quart ice cream, softened slightly. Coconut, caramel ripple, or mocha nut are the kinds of flavors that we like best

A 3-egg-white meringue

Scoop the ice cream into the crust and smooth the top. Return to freezer until hard, at least two hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make the meringue and spread on the ice cream, sealing to the edge of the crust. Bake until the meringue is lightly browned. You have to watch it like a hawk. If it’s not browning very fast, turn on the broiler briefly. The idea is to brown it without melting the ice cream too much.

Return to freezer until hard, about two hours.