Friend-spiration!

Cake Creation

The friends in my life are always inspiring me to conquer new recipes and challenges!  They mention in passing that they love a particular dish or dessert and I immediately want to leap into action to make it for them.  Last week was a good friend's birthday and so another cake adventure began!  She had a very specific request that I was very excited to fulfill, Ice Cream Cake.  After the "Any cake I want? Really?" decision was made, we moved on to the next...what flavors of ice cream will make up this cake?

After much debate, she narrowed it down to a two-layer cake with that signature cookie-crumble center.

Layer 1 - Vanilla Ice Cream with English Toffee Pieces
Center - Chocolate Sandwich Cookie Crumble
Layer 2 - Coconut Ice Cream
All topped with a Rich Hot Fudge Sauce

I was up to the challenge and I wanted to make the majority of the ingredients from scratch.  I went ahead with the childhood favorite chocolate sandwich cookie because...if it ain't broke don't fix it!

Birthday Girl!

Digging In!

This was a bit of a process because there are multiple layers and time needed to freezing and setting but look at this face!

Ok...here we go!










Ingredients

Ice cream: This Base was used for both flavors
4 cups heavy cream (split evenly)
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup toffee pieces (I made my grandmother's toffee for this recipe and used the leftovers to decorate the top of the cake but you can buy the toffee bits in the baking aisle or crush your favorite candy bar)
1 cup coconut flakes, toasted
1 can full fat coconut milk, refrigerate can for a few hours before making the ice cream.

Hot Fudge: Recipe from Smitten Kitchen! 
2/3 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup (I'm interested in trying this recipe with Brown Rice Syrup, next time!)
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, divided
2 tbsp  unsalted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Cookie Crumble Crust and Center Layer
1 package chocolate sandwich cookies
1 stick butter, melted

Instructions

Day Before
Vanilla Toffee Ice Cream
Whip 2 cups heavy cream in a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, and whip until stiff peaks are formed.  Lower the speed and whip in 1 can of the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.  Mix just until everything is combined.  You don't want to loose all that air in the whipped cream.   With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the toffee pieces.  Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe pan like a metal loaf pan.  Allow to set for 6 hours or over night.  I did both ice creams the night before so all I had to do was make the sauce, make the crumble and assemble.

Coconut Ice Cream
Spread coconut flakes on a sheet pan and toast in a 350 degree oven until lightly browned and fragrant.  Allow to cool to room temperature.
Scoop about 1 cup of the solid coconut milk from the refrigerated can and add it to a large bowl.  Whip the coconut milk until it becomes smooth.  Add 2 cups of heavy cream and whip until stiff peaks are formed.  The rest of the recipe is the same as above only now it is coconut flakes.

Day of Assembly

Cookie Crumb Crust
(While making the crust, place one flavor of ice cream on the counter to soften)
Place half of the package of cookies into your food processor and pulse until the cookie are pretty crumbly.  Add the second half of the cookies and pulse until it is the texture of rough sand.  Turn the machine on and pour in melted butter and mix until combined.  Easy Peesy

Assembly
Wrap the bottom of a springform pan with foil because you never know.  Press half of the cookie mixture into the bottom of the pan.  I use the bottom of a measuring cup because I saw Martha Stewart do it and I figure she knows what's up.
Add your first layer of ice cream.  Your choice, I went with the toffee per the birthday girl's request. The ice cream should come a little under halfway up the pan.  You want enough room for the cookies and the second layer.
Cover with plastic warp and allow to set in the freezer for an hour.
Remove the pan from the freezer and add the second half of cookie crumbs and put it back in the freezer for 20-30 minutes so it can set up.  This will make adding the second layer of ice cream a bit easier.  Make sure you take the second flavor of ice cream out of the freezer to soften.  15 minutes should be good.
Once the cookie crumbs are set, add the second layer of ice cream.  The second layer should come about 1/2 inch from the top of the pan.  Place the whole thing back in the freezer to set.

Hot Fudge Sauce
In a sauce pan, bring the cream, syrup, cocoa, and 1/2 the chocolate to a boil.  Reduce to a low simmer and cook until thickened.  This took about 3 minutes for me.  Once it is thickened, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and the rest of the chocolate.  Stir until everything is melted together and terribly tempting.  Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature.  It will thicken even more as it cools.  Once it is cooled, spread a thin amount on the top of the cake and spread to evenly coat the top.  Place back in the freeze the set this fudge layer.  This helps create a barrier so the sauce won't totally melt the ice cream when you go to add the final fudgey layer.

Final Step
Bring the pan out of the freezer and set on the counter for a few minutes so the ring can be removed easily.  Meanwhile, you can reheat the fudge sauce if it has become too thick.  Once the sauce is ready, remove the ring and place the cake on a platter.  Pour the warm fudge over the cake and allow it to dip over the sides.

Ooey Gooey Fudge!

It is a lot of steps but totally worth it when is complete.  I had some left over coconut and toffee pieces and so I added some to the top.  It really made it look special.

Tada!

Another treat to add to the repertoire.  All thanks to the wonderful friends in my life who indulge my need to make them goodies!