Straight out of the icebox

If you have a working refrigerator or icebox, you can make a delicious cake. There's something about icebox cakes that make me smile...they're quick and easy, and with the creamy pudding texture and cookie taste, they remind me of my childhood. There are so many variations on the recipe, I bet you could even think of one on your own. Here are some easy icebox recipes to get you started:

Espresso and Mascarpone Icebox Cake
(from Gourmet 2004)

Ingredients

• 3 cups chilled heavy cream
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup mascarpone cheese (about 9 oz) at room temperature
• 1 (9-oz) box chocolate wafers such as Nabisco Famous
• 1 tablespoon instant-espresso powder*

• Special equipment: a 9 1/2- to 10-inch springform pan (about 26 cm)

Directions                          

Beat 2 cups cream with 6 tablespoons sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until it just holds soft peaks, 2 to 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low, then add mascarpone and mix until combined.

Spread 1 1/4 cups mascarpone mixture evenly in bottom of springform pan and cover with 14 wafers, slightly overlapping if necessary. Spread with another 1 1/4 cups mascarpone mixture, followed by 14 more wafers arranged in the same manner. Spread remaining mascarpone mixture on top. Smooth top with a metal offset spatula, then cover pan with foil and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Transfer from freezer to refrigerator and chill, covered, until a sharp knife inserted into center cuts through softened wafers easily, about 8 hours.

Pulse remaining chocolate wafers in a food processor until finely ground.

Beat remaining cup cream with espresso powder and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar using electric mixer at medium speed until it just holds stiff peaks, about 3 minutes.

Remove foil and side of pan and frost cake all over with espresso cream. Sprinkle edge of top lightly with wafer crumbs. Serve cold.

*Available at most supermarkets and The Baker's Catalogue (800-827-6836).

Cooks' notes: Cake, without espresso cream, can be chilled up to 2 days. Cake can be frosted with espresso cream 4 hours ahead and chilled, loosely covered with foil.

Lemon Icebox Cake
(from Gourmet 2008)

Ingredients

• 4 lemons
• 1 cup water plus additional for blanching
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup chilled heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 (8- by 4-inch) store-bought all-butter pound cake (3/4 to 1 pound), chilled

 

Directions

Make candied peel:
Remove zest (peel) from 2 lemons in wide strips with a vegetable peeler (see Tips, page 118), then cut lengthwise with a sharp knife into 1/8-inch-wide julienne strips. Reserve lemons for juicing.

Fill a 2-quart heavy saucepan halfway with water, then add julienned peel. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes. Drain peel in a sieve and rinse.

Bring water (1 cup) and 1 cup granulated sugar to a boil in saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Add peel and gently simmer until translucent, about 15 minutes.

Remove peel from syrup with a slotted spoon, letting syrup drain off into saucepan. Spread out on a sheet of wax paper and cool to room temperature.

Toss peel with remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, stirring with a fork to coat and separate. Transfer sugared peel to clean dry sieve and shake off excess sugar, then spread out on a fresh sheet of wax paper to dry slightly. Make lemon filling while peel simmers and cools: Grate enough zest from remaining 2 lemons with a rasp to measure 2 teaspoon, then squeeze enough juice from all lemons to measure 2/3 cup. Whisk together zest, juice, and condensed milk. Chill until cold, at least 30 minutes.

Whip cream:
Beat heavy cream with confectioners sugar and vanilla in a chilled bowl with a whisk or electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. assemble cake: Halve cake crosswise, then trim crust from all sides. Cut each block horizontally into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) squares. Halve each square diagonally into 2 triangles.

For each serving, layer 2 triangles with lemon filling, offsetting corners. Top cake with whipped cream and candied lemon peel.

Cooks' notes: •Candied lemon peel can be made 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
•Lemon filling can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.