I made it once -- when I was in high school in the '80s. My friends were impressed. They were also impressed by my crepes, which they said were better than Magic Pan. The one near Times Square. Has anyone ever heaped such praise on Ina? Even Jeffrey? I doubt it.

Later, in college, a friend made Baked Alaska for a dinner party. She nearly singed off her eyebrows.

Flash forward to mid-aughts. My son and a pal (then in middle school) decided to make Baked Alaska to take to a dessert party in the neighborhood. At the last minute, they realized that if they walked to the party, one block away, the whole thing would melt and turn into a soggy mess (it was July in DC). Sheepishly, they enlisted me to drive them. My son's friend had the hot-out-of-the-oven Baked Alaska sitting on a sheet pan on his lap. He was howling with pain and laughter. If memory served me correctly, their friends were not as impressed as mine were. Kids these days.

OP, have you considered making a Pavlova? Or trifle? Those are similarly old-fashioned show-stopper desserts that do not require risking 3rd-degree burns. BTW, Pavlova is featured in Liane Moriarty's The Husband's Secret, which might include a recipe. My older cousin's very cool wife used to make trifle for family events. It was awesome and very impressive to me as a teen. Possibly that led to my making the Baked Alaska.

Thank you all for facilitating my little walk down my own culinary history. Next time: Madeleines I've known and loved.

We made it at my mother's. We used an electric oven on broil.

Anonymous wrote:I've only had it once, at an Easter dinner at my aunt's when I was a kid. She used mint chocolate chip ice cream and I think a chocolate cookie crumb crust. It was divine.

^I'm positive she did the meringue in the oven, maybe on broil. She was a midwestern farm wife in the early 70s, she wouldn't have been using a torch.

I've only had it once, at an Easter dinner at my aunt's when I was a kid. She used mint chocolate chip ice cream and I think a chocolate cookie crumb crust. It was divine.

The whole point is bringing it to the table and setting it on fire with warmed 151.

It’s impressive, but only as delicious as the ice cream within. It’s a giant amount of work for what is essentially a marshmallow sundae.

I’m glad I did it but there will not be another. A buche Noel is a better project!

I made one as a project with my kids. It was fun! We used chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream.

Anonymous wrote:I have made it several times. My kids love it.

Someone said it was bland vanilla on vanilla, but I’ve never made a vanilla one. We use the flavors of cake and ice cream that my kids enjoy. So we’ve used mint chip ice cream and chocolate cake most often, but I liked the cherry ice cream and chocolate cake the best.

It looks impressive and is fun to make. Go for it.

Same- it's a great thing to do with kids. Chocolate needs to be one component for sure!
I'm a sucker for fruit flavors so with no kid input I would probably do lemon cake and strawberry ice cream. I don't have a torch so I always broil in the oven under close watch.

I have made it several times. My kids love it.

Someone said it was bland vanilla on vanilla, but I’ve never made a vanilla one. We use the flavors of cake and ice cream that my kids enjoy. So we’ve used mint chip ice cream and chocolate cake most often, but I liked the cherry ice cream and chocolate cake the best.

It looks impressive and is fun to make. Go for it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've eaten it on cruise ships. It's not very good. Kind of 1950s.

Hmm, ok. What made it not good? I’m wondering if it’s hard to get the meringue right because cake + ice seems like an easy win.

Well the raspberry might help.

It's mainly a vanilla x vanilla experience as I recall. And it's gimmicky like a chocolate lava cake.

Basically it's bland and sugary.

I like fruit pies and lemon desserts. And then chocolate after that.

Anonymous wrote:I've eaten it on cruise ships. It's not very good. Kind of 1950s.

Hmm, ok. What made it not good? I’m wondering if it’s hard to get the meringue right because cake + ice seems like an easy win.

We made it in home economics class many decades ago in high school. I found it tasty to do once but not something I would run to make again. It could be a fun activity though.

I've eaten it on cruise ships. It's not very good. Kind of 1950s.

How did it turn out? I've never actually eaten Baked Alaska, but have always been intrigued by it.

I just watched Ina Garten make a raspberry version of one and it made me think it might not be too difficult. However, the ice cream makes me think that you pretty much have to prepare the meringue right before you want to eat it and serve it right away or you'll be left with a melted mess.