Ice Cream Cake for the August Heat

Happy Wednesday everyone! My favorite time to read the New York Times is on Wednesday - food day. So today I was inspired by an article on ice cream. I L-O-V-E love to make homemade ice cream, alas as a preggo lady it's not always a safe choice for me (the eggs get cooked - but not fully cooked). I was thrilled to see Philadelphia-style featured in the NYT: no eggs necessary! Soooo, today I present you with a few ice cream cake ideas to get you started, as well as that wonderful Philly-style chilly dessert so you can create your own version of ice cream cake. Remember no rules apply for this dessert. Just make sure your ice cream is soft and perhaps freeze your cake layers (if that's what you're using) or your crust (if you're making more of a pie or sandwich) to firm them up first. Then enjoy!

7-Layer Ice Cream Cake
Everyday Food, May 2012

Ingredients

• 1 frozen pound cake (10 3/4 ounces) in aluminum loaf pan, unthawed, or 1 homemade 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch pound cake, room temperature
• 2 cups raspberry sorbet, softened
• 1 cup vanilla ice cream, softened
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped chocolate wafer cookies
• 2 large egg whites
• Cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Remove cake from pan and cut horizontally into 4 slices. Line pan with plastic wrap, leaving 6-inch overhang on two sides. Build cake layers in pan in this order: bottom cake slice, 1 cup sorbet, cake slice, 1/2 cup ice cream, cookie crumbs, 1/2 cup ice cream, cake slice, 1 cup sorbet, top cake slice. (If necessary, return ice cream to freezer as you work.) Wrap in plastic and freeze at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
2. In a heatproof bowl, lightly whisk together egg whites and pinch of cream of tartar. Set bowl over (not in) a pan of simmering water and whisk until whites are foamy. Slowly whisk in sugar and cook, whisking, until sugar is dissolved (to test, rub some between your fingertips).
3. Remove bowl from heat and, with an electric mixer, beat on medium-high until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Add vanilla and beat 1 minute. Remove cake from pan, trim sides if desired, and dollop meringue on top.

Coconut Coffee Marbled Ice Cream Cake

Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez

Ingredients

Crust

• 3/4 cup chocolate wafer crumbs (from about 15 cookies such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers)
• 1 teaspoon instant-espresso powder
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Ice Cream Layer

• 1 pt premium coffee ice cream, softened slightly
• 1 pt premium coconut sorbet, softened slightly

Fudge Sauce

• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Special equipment: a 1 1/2-qt rectangular mold such as a 12- by 3 1/4- by 2 3/4-inch pté mold; parchment paper; an offset metal spatula

Directions

Make crust:

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Line mold with a double layer of parchment paper, allowing a few inches of overhang along each side.
3. Stir together crumbs, espresso powder, and butter and press over bottom of mold. Bake until crisp, about 10 minutes, then cool completely in mold on a rack, about 20 minutes.

Make ice cream layer:

1. Scoop and drop ice cream and sorbet alternately into mold in 1 layer until crust is covered, then smooth with offset spatula until flat. Make another layer in same manner. Freeze, covered with plastic wrap, until firm, at least 2 hours.

Make fudge sauce and finish cake:

1. Bring cream, corn syrup, brown sugar, cocoa, salt, and half of chocolate to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until chocolate is melted. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
2. Add butter, vanilla, and remaining chocolate and stir until smooth.
3. Cool fudge sauce to warm, at least 15 minutes.
4. Pour warm sauce over ice cream layer and freeze again, uncovered, until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove cake by grasping both ends of parchment, and transfer it to a platter. Using a spatula to stabilize end of cake, carefully slide parchment out from under cake.

Notes:

• Sauce can be made 1 week ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled in an airtight container or jar. Reheat before using.
• Cake keeps, wrapped well in plastic wrap and then in foil, 3 days.

And now, build your own...start with some homemade ice cream! Find your favorite cake recipe, make sure it's frozen enough to spread ice cream on it without breaking, and get started! (Don't forget some frosting at the end!)

Easiest Vanilla Ice Cream

Julia Moskin

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream, preferably organic and not ultra-pasteurized
• 2 cups half-and-half, preferably organic, or 1 cup additional heavy cream plus 1 cup whole milk
• ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out with the tip of a sharp knife, or 3 tablespoons (about 8 bags) loose Earl Grey tea plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup granulated sugar or 3/4 cup light corn syrup, more to taste
• ½ teaspoon salt, more to taste

Directions

1. In a saucepan or a microwave-safe container, combine cream, half-and-half and vanilla bean and seeds (or tea and vanilla extract). On the stove or in the microwave, bring mixture to a simmer. Immediately turn off heat.
2. Add sugar or corn syrup and salt and mix until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Taste and add more sugar and salt as needed to balance the flavors. The mixture should taste slightly too sweet when warm; the sweetness will be muted when the ice cream is frozen.
3. Strain mixture into a container and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.
4. Churn mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and let freeze until hard.

Happy baking!