To create this single-serving update on the retro Baked Alaska, scoop strawberry ice cream onto cupcakes, cover them generously with meringue, and toast the meringue using a culinary torch.
Set cupcakes on a rimmed baking sheet. Place a 2-tbsp. scoop of ice cream on top of each cupcake and freeze until ice cream is totally firm and cupcakes are cold, 30 to 60 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan filled with 1 in. water to a simmer. Put egg whites, sugar, salt, cream of tartar, and vanilla in bowl of a stand mixer. Set bowl over simmering water and whisk constantly until mixture reaches 175° on an instant-read thermometer, 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer bowl to stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment and beat on high speed until meringue is very stiff and glossy and cool to touch, 15 to 20 minutes.
Transfer part of meringue at a time to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-in.-wide round tip. Working with 1 or 2 cupcakes at a time (leave the rest in the freezer), pipe meringue onto each cupcake in a spiral, starting on cupcake next to ice cream and wrapping up to center to completely cover ice cream. Or, if you don’t have a piping bag, spoon about 2/3 cup meringue onto a cupcake and swirl with back of a spoon to cover ice cream. Return cupcakes to freezer and freeze about 30 minutes.
Using a culinary blowtorch, lightly toast meringue until golden brown. Serve immediately.
Servings 0
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.