Deluxe Ice Cream Pie
This ice cream pie is truly deluxe and brings it to an adult level. You can customize with your favorite ice cream – I used mint chip because I was serving it to kids and adults, but coffee ice cream would give it a grown-up flair. It has a crunchy cookie crust on the bottom, a layer of decadent fudge, a layer of ice cream (use best quality) and is topped with homemade fudge sauce. A small slice goes a long way.
(Adapted from Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito)
Ingredients
For the cookie crust:
- 30 chocolate wafer cookies (I used Famous Chocolate Wafer brand)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
For the filling:
- 4 ounces dark chocolate (60-72%)
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1 pint ice cream of your choice
For the fudge topping:
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 3 ounces dark chocolate (60-72%)
Preparation
Make the cookie crust: In a food processor, crush the cookies into a fine crumb. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of cookie crumbs. Place the crumbs in a bowl, add the sugar and stir. Add the melted butter and mix well. Transfer the crumb mixture to a 9-inch round cake pan and press into the bottom and up the sides. Use the back of a large spoon to get an even crust. Place in the fridge to set.
Make the filling: Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a medium size saucepan, bring the cream, butter and corn syrup to a simmer. Remove the mixture from the heat, pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute. Whisk the chocolate mixture until it is completely smooth. Whisk in the confectioners' sugar.
Spread the fudge evenly over the bottom of the crust, cover it and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Soften the ice cream by placing in the microwave for 10 seconds on high. Put it in a large bowl and beat with a rubber spatula until smooth. Spread the ice cream over the chilled fudge layer and freeze pie for at least 1 1/2 hours, or until the ice cream is firm.
Make the fudge topping: In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the cream, butter and corn syrup together until the mixture starts to simmer. Remove the pan from heat and add the chocolate. Whisk until the fudge is smooth without any lumps. Beat the fudge topping until it reaches room temperature and pour it over the ice cream layer in a zigzag pattern. Freeze the pie for at least 20 minutes. To serve, cut it with a warmed sharp knife. The pie will keep in the freezer, covered, for up to 4 days.
