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The Ultimate Baked Hawaii: A Show-Stopping Dessert Project

A perfect slice of the finished Baked Hawaii showing the interior layers.

An elaborate and visually stunning dessert, this ‘Baked Hawaii’ is a pineapple-shaped twist on the classic Baked Alaska. It features a core of homemade pineapple ice cream and pistachio gelato on a pound cake base. The entire structure is meticulously sculpted and covered in a torched honey meringue to resemble a pineapple, and finished with decorative green candy melt fronds.

Ingredients

Scale
  • Pineapple Ice Cream:
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • One 20-ounce can crushed pineapple
  • One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract
  • Half a 9-by-5-inch pound cake, cut into 1-inch slices
  • 1 pint pistachio gelato, softened
  • Honey Meringue:
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Fronds:
  • 1 cup green candy melting wafers
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions

  1. For the pineapple ice cream base: Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crushed pineapple and its juices and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and the pineapple caramelizes, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the condensed milk and salt, then cover and freeze for 30 minutes.
  2. Beat the heavy cream and vanilla with a stand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Stir the chilled pineapple mixture to loosen, then fold in the whipped cream.
  3. Assemble the ice cream core: Use a 1-quart container to cut a 4 1/2-inch round from the pound cake for the base; wrap and set aside. Line the same container with overhanging plastic wrap. Add 2 cups of the pineapple ice cream, smooth the top, cover, and freeze until solid, about 3 hours.
  4. Top the frozen pineapple ice cream with the softened pistachio gelato, pressing to fill gaps. Unwrap the pound cake base and press it onto the gelato. Cover with the plastic wrap and freeze until solid, 2 to 3 hours.
  5. For the honey meringue: In a saucepan, boil the honey, sugar, and 1/3 cup water without stirring until a candy thermometer reads 240 degrees F.
  6. Meanwhile, whip the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a stand mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, carefully pour the hot syrup into the whites in a thin, steady stream. Continue whipping until very thick and glossy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large piping bag fitted with a large closed-star tip.
  7. Shape the pineapple: Invert the frozen ice cream core onto a cake stand. Use small dabs of meringue to ‘glue’ the base to the stand, and to stack a 2 1/2-inch and a 1-inch round of pound cake on top.
  8. Working quickly, pipe bands of meringue around the ice cream core and use a spatula to sculpt it into a pineapple shape, tapering at the top and bottom. Cover the cake rounds on top to form the pineapple’s crown. Freeze for 2 hours.
  9. For the fronds: Trace a frond shape (from the recipe’s PDF, not provided here) onto parchment paper with melted green candy wafers mixed with 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Freeze to set. Flood the outlines with the remaining candy melts (mixed with the second tablespoon of oil) and freeze until hard, about 15 minutes.
  10. Final decoration: Cover the surface of the frozen pineapple with piped meringue stars. Freeze for 30 minutes. Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue, then freeze for at least 10 minutes.
  11. Just before serving, cut a slit in the top of the pineapple and insert the candy fronds.

Notes

  • This is a complex, multi-day recipe that requires careful planning and significant freezing time.
  • Special Equipment Required: Stand mixer, candy thermometer, kitchen torch, 1-quart container, piping bags with star and round tips, round cutters (2.5-inch and 1-inch), parchment paper.
  • The original recipe refers to a downloadable PDF for the pineapple frond template, which is not included in this text.
  • Safety Warning: Propane gas torches are highly flammable. Use only in well-ventilated areas, keep away from heat, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/baked-hawaii/