Ice Cream Archives - Cookie Monster Cooking

Mint Chocolate Chip Oreo Ice Cream Cake

June 17, 2013 · 24 Comments

Mint Chocolate Chip Oreo Ice Cream Cake | Cookie Monster Cooking

So remember last week when we talked about homemade fresh mint chocolate chip ice cream? Well, this my friends is what I used that ice cream for – mint chocolate chip oreo ice cream cake for my husband’s birthday. As if mint ice cream wasn’t enough, I needed to make it even more decadent for this special occasion.

And this is what I came up with. Wonderfully creamy mint ice cream studded with chocolate chips, which is combined with an oreo crust, additional crushed oreos and finally topped with ganache. Needless to say this went over pretty well with the husband.

Mint Chocolate Chip Oreo Ice Cream Cake | Cookie Monster Cooking

Now, you can obviously use store-bought ice cream to make this cake – just make sure that you let it thaw out to a consistency that is easy to smooth in the pan. But, if you use homemade ice cream it is the perfect consistency right out of the ice cream maker. Like that plug to make it homemade? I promise it’s worth it.

Mint Chocolate Chip Oreo Ice Cream Cake | Cookie Monster Cooking

And while this ice cream cake is clearly decadent, the mint ice cream makes it also seem refreshing in a way. Which we both like during the hot summer months. Butttt there’s also plenty of chocolate and oreos to balance out all that mint. Because birthdays are serious business and obviously chocolate is in order to celebrate properly.

Mint Chocolate Chip Oreo Ice Cream Cake

Yield: 1 (8 or 9-inch) ice cream cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 package (14 ounces) oreo cookies – you’ll have a few leftover
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 pints (or 1 quart) mint chocolate chip ice cream, softened*

For the ganache:

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Instructions

To make the cake - line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan** with wax or parchment paper. Cut a separate piece and line the sides of the pan. Set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor, add 20 oreo cookies (cream and all). Process until finely ground. Alternatively, if you don’t have a food processor, place the cookies in a large ziploc bag and crush using a rolling pin until they are a fine consistency. Transfer the ground oreos to a medium bowl. Add in the melted butter and mix until well combined. Use your fingers to evenly press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Transfer the pan to the freezer and allow to chill for 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove from the freezer and add half of the softened ice cream to the pan. Use a spatula to smooth the top evenly. Add about 10 more oreo cookies to a ziploc bag and lightly crush using your fingers. Carefully sprinkle the cookies in an even layer over the ice cream. Place the pan back in the freezer and chill for about 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove from the freezer and gently add the remaining ice cream to the pan. Use a spatula again to smooth evenly (it’s okay if some of the crushed oreos move around). Return the pan to the freezer and chill until the ice cream is very firm (about 6 to 8 hours).
To make the ganache - add the chopped chocolate to a heatproof bowl. Set aside. Set a small saucepan over medium heat and add in the cream. Heat until simmering. Remove from the heat and pour the cream over the chocolate. Let the mixture stand for 1 to 2 minutes. Next, whisk the cream and chocolate until smooth. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until combined. At this point, the ganache will be too thin. Let it stand at room temperature, whisking every so often, until it has thickened slightly (you want to be able to pour the ganache over the cake, but it should not be so thin that it runs everywhere). I let mine cool for about 7 to 10 minutes.
Remove the cake from the freezer and gently remove the sides of the springform pan. Slowly pour the ganache onto the cake, using a spatula if needed to make sure the top is covered (if you want the ganache to go over the sides of the cake, you’ll need to increase the amount of ganache).
Return the cake to the freezer to set again for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. When ready to serve, allow the cake to sit at room temperature for about 5 to 10 minutes so it is easier to slice.

Notes

*You can use homemade or store-bought ice cream to make this cake. If you use store-bought make sure it is thawed to a consistency that is easy to smooth and spread in the pan. If you use homemade ice cream, it is a perfect consistency right out of the ice cream maker.

**You can also use an 8-inch springform pan to make this cake. The cake will be a little taller with the 8-inch pan, which I personally like (I just don’t have a springform pan in that size).

http://cookiemonstercooking.com/2013/06/17/mint-chocolate-chip-oreo-ice-cream-cake/

Source:
Cookie Monster Cooking

Filed Under: Cakes & Cupcakes, Chocolate, Dessert, Ice Cream, Recipes · Tagged With: Cakes, Chocolate, Dessert, Ice Cream

Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

June 13, 2013 · 31 Comments

Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream | Cookie Monster Cooking

When I asked my husband what type of birthday cake he wanted this year, he promptly answered with his standard response – funfetti. When I didn’t respond and just kind of stared at him, he realized pretty quickly that was the wrong answer. I made that for him last year and really wanted to try something new. He knows this game that I play and “changed his mind.” He’s a good sport for putting up with me sometimes : )

His revised request? Mint chocolate chip ice cream cake. I was happy to oblige. So consider this part one of two – the full cake is coming your way next week. But since I knew I wanted to make the cake from scratch, it was time to first find a recipe for mint ice cream. And I absolutely love this version since it uses fresh mint.

Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream | Cookie Monster Cooking

It is smooth, creamy and refreshing – and packed full of fresh mint taste. It also amazed me that you could really tell that it was fresh mint, and not any type of extract. While the chocolate chips are totally optional, I thought they were the perfect balance to all the mint flavor. And who are we kidding, I just love chocolate.

Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream | Cookie Monster Cooking

And don’t worry, I still made my husband funfetti cupcakes for his actual birthday. The mint chocolate chip ice cream cake was for his “blog” birthday. I’m not that mean. Promise. See this way, he got to have two birthday cakes. And two is definitely better than one.

Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Yield: about 1 quart

Ingredients

1 cup whole milk
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 cups heavy cream, divided
pinch of salt
2 cups lightly packed fresh mint leaves
5 large egg yolks
few drops green food coloring, optional
⅓ to ½ cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Add the milk, sugar, 1 cup of the heavy cream and the salt to a medium saucepan. Set the pan over medium heat and cook until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warmed through. Add in the mint leaves and mix to combine, making sure that the leaves are immersed in the mixture. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
Set a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl. Pour the mint mixture through the sieve, pressing on the leaves to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard the leaves and then return the mixture to the saucepan. Rewarm the mixture over medium heat.
Meanwhile, add the remaining 1 cup heavy cream to a large bowl. Set the fine mesh sieve on top. In another medium bowl, add the egg yolks and whisk until smooth. Slowly pour the warmed mint mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Add this egg yolk mixture back to the saucepan. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spatula (using an instant-read thermometer, it should be right around 170 degrees). Remove from the heat and pour through the sieve into the bowl with the cream. Add in the food coloring (if using) and stir to combine.
Let the mixture cool slightly then cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. After the mixture is finished churning, gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Notes

Depending on how much chocolate you like in your ice cream, use anywhere from the ⅓ cup to ½ cup of the mini chocolate chips.

http://cookiemonstercooking.com/2013/06/13/fresh-mint-chocolate-chip-ice-cream/

Source:
Adapted from The Perfect Scoop.

Filed Under: Chocolate, Dessert, Ice Cream, Recipes · Tagged With: Chocolate, Dessert, Ice Cream

Coffee Frozen Yogurt with Mocha Ripple

April 5, 2013 · 16 Comments

Coffee frozen yogurt with mocha ripple

Despite the fact that it’s not exactly warm outside quite yet, I decided it was time to bring the ice cream maker back out from winter hibernation. The cold doesn’t usually bother me when it comes to ice cream, but this winter seemed to be an exception. Of course the first thing I made was our very favorite flavor, vanilla bean, but after that I decided to branch out a little with this coffee frozen yogurt. My husband and I both love coffee ice cream so I figured this was worth a try.

Coffee frozen yogurt with mocha ripple

Let me just put this out there – this is frozen yogurt. Not ice cream. Therefore it tastes like frozen yogurt, with that yogurty tang. The first words out of my husband’s mouth when he tried this were, wait, this doesn’t taste like ice cream. Umm yes dear, hence the frozen yogurt title : )

Coffee frozen yogurt with mocha ripple

But if you like frozen yogurt then I have a feeling you’ll enjoy this. It has great coffee flavor and the mocha ripple makes it feel a little bit more decadent. Which is a plus in my book, but you could definitely leave it out if you’d like. Unlike some of the other homemade frozen yogurts I’ve tried in the past, this one is still creamy (and scoops well). I actually liked this best when it was more of a soft serve consistency right out of the ice cream maker, but that’s probably because soft serve frozen yogurt reminds me of summer.

Coffee Frozen Yogurt with Mocha Ripple

Yield: about 1 quart

Ingredients

For the mocha ripple:*

½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup light corn syrup
½ cup water
6 tablespoons unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder
2 teaspoons espresso powder**
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frozen yogurt:

1 cup plain whole-milk greek yogurt***
¾ cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
¾ cup heavy cream
1 cup brewed espresso, room temperature
¼ teaspoon finely ground dark roast coffee

Instructions

To make the mocha ripple - in a medium saucepan, add the sugar, corn syrup, water, cocoa powder and espresso powder. Whisk to combine. Place the pan over medium heat and whisk frequently until the mixture just comes to a low boil. Cook for 1 minute, whisking frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Let the mixture cool and then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator before using.
To make the frozen yogurt - in a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, salt, cream, espresso and coffee grinds. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the mixture until it is well chilled, at least for 2 hours. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.
To assemble - spoon some of the mocha ripple into the bottom of your storage container. Add a layer of the frozen yogurt on top. Repeat this process until full (ripple then yogurt). Do not stir the layers (otherwise they’ll blend together and you won’t have the ripple in your yogurt). Place in your freezer to harden. Before serving, allow the yogurt to sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before scooping.

Notes

*This amount of mocha ripple is enough for about two batches of ice cream. You can cut the quantities in half if you are just making it for this recipe. If you make the full amount, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

**Espresso powder is an ingredient that you can’t usually find at your regular grocery store. You can buy it online or at specialty stores like Sur La Table, Williams and Sonoma, etc.

***I’ve made this with both whole milk and 2% greek yogurt. While I preferred the whole milk version, it still came out great with the 2%.

http://cookiemonstercooking.com/2013/04/05/coffee-frozen-yogurt-with-mocha-ripple/

Source:
Slightly adapted from The Perfect Scoop.

Filed Under: Dessert, Ice Cream, Recipes · Tagged With: Dessert, Ice Cream

Peanut Butter Oreo Ice Cream Pie

August 29, 2012 · 4 Comments

This pie, no ice cream maker required, made for one amazing birthday cake. For me. Yes, I make my own birthday cake and I’m totally cool with it. Plus, this year I needed something extra special seeing as how I am inching closer and closer to the big 3-0. A little too close for comfort. Seriously, I don’t like it. Not one little bit.

I’ve actually made this pie one or two times before, but had a few minor changes that I wanted to try out. This time around I made it with those adjustments, like decreasing the amount of peanut butter just a tad, and it came out perfect. This was a huge hit with everyone who tried it. It’s hard to go wrong with an oreo crust filled with vanilla peanut butter ice cream, hot fudge and some more oreos and peanut butter cups for good measure.

I made this pie a few days before my actual birthday and had to watch my husband closely to stop him from cutting a piece before he was allowed to touch it. I have to say I was tempted a few times to sneak a bite as well. We have a few slices leftover in the freezer and it is taking all my willpower to stop myself from eating it. While I usually bring the majority of my baked goods into work or send them with my husband for his co-workers, it’s a little hard to share a frozen treat. Oh well, guess I’ll just have to eat it all myself. It was my birthday cake after all.

Peanut Butter Oreo Ice Cream Pie

Yield: one 9-inch pie

Ingredients

1 (15.5 ounce) package oreo cookies – you’ll have a few leftover
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups cold heavy cream
1 cup hot fudge sauce
peanut butter cups, for garnish

Instructions

Place 25 oreo cookies (cream and all) into the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely crushed. If you don’t have a food processor, place the oreos in a large ziploc bag and crush using a rolling pin until the oreos have a fine consistency.
In a medium bowl, add the crushed oreos and the melted butter. Mix until well combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie dish. Place the dish in the freezer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter and vanilla extract. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the heavy cream. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks forms, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the whipped cream to the bowl with the condensed milk. Gently fold together.
Remove the pie dish from the freezer. Add half of the cream mixture to the pie dish. Heat the hot fudge sauce in the microwave for a few seconds so that it will pour easily. Drizzle half of the hot fudge evenly over the pie. Top with the remaining half of the cream mixture. Drizzle again with the remaining hot fudge.
Lightly crush about 6 of the remaining oreos. Chop the peanut butter cups in half (it helps to freeze them for a bit first – they’ll cut much easier and neater). Garnish the pie as desired with the oreos and peanut butter cups.
Return the pie to the freezer for at least 6 to 8 hours before serving. Once everything is set, I usually cover loosely with aluminum foil.

http://cookiemonstercooking.com/2012/08/29/peanut-butter-oreo-ice-cream-pie/

Source:
Adapted from Kevin and Amanda

Filed Under: Chocolate, Dessert, Ice Cream, Pies & Tarts, Recipes · Tagged With: Chocolate, Dessert, Ice Cream, Pies

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

August 27, 2012 · 4 Comments

My husband often jokes that I’ve “ruined” our ability to be lazy and buy items from the grocery store that instead can be made at home. The store bought versions of these products usually pale in comparison to their homemade counterparts. Like bread. Or granola. Or ice cream. Yes, life gets in the way and we buy these items from the store when we need to. But then the whole time we’re wishing we had the homemade versions instead.

We can now add hot fudge sauce to the list of items effectively “ruined” by all my cooking and baking. Seriously, this stuff is good. Very good. I’m not usually a hot fudge kind of girl – I prefer my ice cream without any added toppings. But if I have this hot fudge in the fridge you can bet I’ll make an exception. And now there is no way I can go back to any store bought varieties. No way.

As an added bonus this hot fudge is easy and quick to make. And you likely have the majority, if not all, of the ingredients already on hand. This is the perfect topping along with some sprinkles for your favorite ice cream. Or, you can save some and I’ll show you on Wednesday how to use it to make one heck of an ice cream pie. You’re definitely going to want to save some – the pie is pretty darn amazing.

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

Yield: about 2 cups

Ingredients

¾ cup heavy cream
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup Dutch-processed cocoa
½ cup light corn syrup
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces good quality milk chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

In a saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, cocoa, corn syrup and half of each kind of chocolate. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and add in the remaining chocolate, butter and vanilla extract. Mix until completely combined and smooth. The sauce will thicken as it cools down. You want it to be warm (and not hot) before serving, otherwise it will just pool at the bottom of your ice cream dish.
Store the sauce in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will keep for about two weeks. To reheat, microwave for a few seconds at a time. Again, you just want to warm the sauce enough so that you can drizzle it over ice cream.

http://cookiemonstercooking.com/2012/08/27/homemade-hot-fudge-sauce/

Source:
Slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Smells Like Home. Originally from Gourmet and The Perfect Scoop.

Filed Under: Chocolate, Condiments, Dessert, How To, Ice Cream, Recipes · Tagged With: Chocolate, Condiments, Dessert, How To, Ice Cream

Mocha Chip Ice Cream

July 18, 2012 · Leave a Comment

As I mentioned on Monday, during our recent trip to New England, we made a stop at the Ben and Jerry’s factory in Vermont. We had a lot of fun walking around, learning about how they make ice cream, and eating some of their creations. Of course this excursion gave me the itch to try out fun new flavors of homemade ice cream when we returned from our trip. Combine this with the extreme heat we’ve had around the DC area and I needed no further push to get in the kitchen and make some asap.

I always ask my husband if he is in the mood for any particular flavor, and he always gives me the same answer. Vanilla bean. Which is rather unhelpful when I’m looking to make something new. Thanks dear husband : ) So I took matters into my own hands and decided I wanted to go with something that had a coffee flavor, since this is usually his pick whenever we eat out.

This ice cream did not disappoint. It has a creamy coffee flavor with some chocolate undertones. The addition of chocolate chunks also adds some texture (although you could definitely leave these out if you wanted and it would still be great). So all you coffee lovers out there – give this a try the next time you are looking for a cool summertime treat. Now, please excuse me while I go back to my kitchen to make some more ice cream…

Mocha Chip Ice Cream

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
¾ cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons espresso powder
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup chocolate chunks (or chips)

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, add 1 cup of the heavy cream, sugar, salt, espresso powder and cocoa powder. Whisk to combine. Warm the mixture over medium heat and stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved.
Turn off the heat and add in the remaining cup of cream, milk and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.
Refrigerate the mixture until it is well chilled, at least for several hours. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. Gently fold in the chocolate chunks. Store in your freeze until ready to serve.

http://cookiemonstercooking.com/2012/07/18/mocha-chip-ice-cream/

Source:
Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Filed Under: Chocolate, Dessert, Ice Cream, Recipes · Tagged With: Chocolate, Dessert, Ice Cream

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

April 23, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Ice cream has been one of my favorite desserts for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid, I always asked for an ice cream cake for my birthday, much to the disappointment of my sister who was never really a fan. I couldn’t understand how she didn’t love those little crunchies that were sandwiched in between the layers of vanilla and chocolate.

This Christmas, my mom and dad got me an ice cream maker. Big trouble. I made ice cream all throughout the dead of winter. Never mind that it was freezing outside. I discovered that homemade ice cream is so much better than the store-bought kind and just couldn’t stop.

I’ve had lots of fun trying out different flavors, but this is the first recipe I tried and the one we keep coming back to. It has a rich, creamy vanilla flavor. It’s amazing on it’s own but also with some hot fudge sauce and sprinkles, lots of sprinkles. Go make some today. And then hide it from your husband – otherwise when you head to the freezer to have some as a snack, it might be gone.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, add 1 cup of the heavy cream, sugar and salt.
Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and pod into the saucepan.
Over medium heat warm the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved.
Remove from the heat and mix in the remaining cup of cream, milk and vanilla extract.
Refrigerate the mixture until it is well chilled, at least for several hours. Remove the vanilla bean when ready to churn. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.

http://cookiemonstercooking.com/2012/04/23/vanilla-bean-ice-cream/

Source:
Tracey’s Culinary Adventures, originally from The Perfect Scoop

Filed Under: Dessert, Ice Cream, Recipes · Tagged With: Dessert, Ice Cream