Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy: Individual Size Baked Alaska

Ever since 1959, Texans have resented Alaska becoming a state--the largest state in the US. To correct (or circumvent) this injustice and in the ever continuing assertion of Texas superiority, we present this recipe--we're breaking Alaska down into little pieces! :D

We tried vanilla and cherry vanilla ice cream. You can use any flavor you like!
The green food coloring was our way of telling which ones were which flavor
once they had the topping on.

Most traditional Baked Alaska recipes use sponge cake as the base. This particular recipe uses baked meringues instead. Either should work fine. The meringues have the added benefit of being GF. The sponge/pound cake has the benefit that you can pick up a pre-cooked one at your local grocery store. (Don't be intimidated by the long post. They were actually really easy to make, just took a little time.)

Individual Baked Alaska
makes 8 servings

Ingredients

Base
8 slices pound cake (sliced flat like from a loaf)
OR
8 Cocoa Meringues (recipe below)
3 large egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Filling
2 pints purchased ice cream

Swiss Meringue Topping
1 cup sugar
4 egg whites

Directions
BASE
A) Take each slice of pound cake and use a cookie cutter or glass to cut a 3" circle. Place 8 cake bases on a parchment or foil lined cookie sheet (that will fit in your freezer).
OR
B) Cocoa Meringue (makes 18 (3-inch) meringues)
1. Preheat oven to 200'F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla extract. Using a mixer at high speed, beat until frothy. Add sugar, 1 Tbsp at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat at high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Sift cocoa over meringue; beat at medium speed until combined.
3. Place mixture in a gallon-size Ziplock bag, cut about a 1/2" corner off the bag. Pipe 18 3-inch rounds onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 1 1/2 hours; turn oven off. Leave meringues in closed oven for 2 hours. Store in freezer, in an airtight container, for up to 3 weeks.
4. Place 8 cooked cocoa meringues on a parchment or foil lined cookie sheet (that will fit in your freezer).

FILLING
Place 1 scoop of ice cream on each BASE; freeze for 1 hour.

SWISS MERINGUE TOPPING
1. In the top pan of a double boiler over simmering water, combine sugar and egg whites. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture reaches 140'F on a candy thermometer. (If you don't have a candy thermometer, that will be just hotter than hot tap water. When it was hot enough I couldn't hold my finger in, we called that done.)
2. Remove from heat, and, using a mixer at high speed, beat for 10 minutes. (The mixture will be glossy and very, very sticky.) Use immediately.
3. Using an offset spatula, cover ice cream with meringue, completely sealing edges. (If you're using a cake base, you'll have to leave them on the cookie sheet. If you used the crispier cocoa meringue, you can actually pick them up and hold them for this step.) Place back in freezer for up to 1 day.