Easy Summer Desserts! Ice Cream Sandwiches and Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake with a Twist!

Easy 12 serving dessert!

While I am not going to bore you with another picture of our Smoked Baby Back Ribs I did think I would share my first ever "Dump Cake" and my made ahead Ice Cream Sandwiches desserts for this Memorial Day's cookout here at home!    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2010/08/brians-smoked-baby-back-ribs.html   is the link for the "how we do" the ribs.    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2015/05/giant-sugar-cookies-easy-and-delicious.html    is the link for the cookie recipe.


TO MAKE THE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES:   I placed a cookie (these are huge) on the cutting board and sliced in half each 4-5" cookie and placed 2 small scoops of softened vanilla bean ice cream on one half.  Next I topped with the remaining half of the cookie and wrapped each dessert in plastic wrap then stored them all in a large freezer bad in the deep freeze to firm up!

9" x 13" dish of delicious!

Ingredients for the Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake:

1 boxed yellow cake mix
1 can cherry pie filling
1 can crushed pineapple
1/3 C. brown sugar
1/4 C whole pecans
1 stick melted butter
whipped cream or ice cream

Butter generously a 8" X 13" pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Last step drizzle with melted butter and bake.

Spread the cherry pie filling on the bottom of the pan.  Top this with the crushed pineapple.  Next sprinkle first with brown sugar then with the cake mix.  Scatter with the pecans and drizzle with the melted butter.  Bake in the preheated oven 40 minutes or until done. 

Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of sweet cream or ice cream.  Delicious!  Yield 12 servings.

Easy Make Ahead 5 Layer Ice Cream Cake Makes for "Ohhs and Awws!"

This is the easy way, I don't want to work at it, make ahead dessert to please young and old alike.  You have lots of options too!  You can use any cake or cookie base, any flavors of ice cream or sherbet, and optional sweetened whipped cream depending on just how far you want to go!

I would recommend using a spring form pan and parchment paper just for the sake of ease.  Or you could use saran or other strong plastic wrap.

You can bake your own cake or cookie layer in the spring form pan as directed or use a purchased cake you can trim to fit!  I recommend removing the cake from the spring form pan after it is totally cool and then putting it back when you start to assemble!

Make either a tall collar around the inside perimeter of the spring form pan or place layers of plastic wrap  tall enough to drape over the outside but pull up around the layers as they become taller than the sides of the pan.  After the cakes freeze solid they will be easy to pull away from the sides.  I would NOT put anything under the actual cake or cookie layer as you will leave the whole cake on the removable disk bottom of the spring form pan to serve from.  Just place the whole thing on a decorative flat cake plate to serve.  I found it easiest to cut with a large serrated bread knife.

Ingredients for My 5 Layer Ice Cream Cake:

1 box brownie mix baked in a 10" spring form pan (or your choice)
1/2 gallon each Bryer's  Chocolate, Strawberry, and Vanilla ice cream (or your choice)
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
2-3 T. sugar

After baking and cooling the brownie layer and removing it from the pan, reassemble the spring form pan and place the color around the perimeter and return the layer to the bottom.  Snap securely shut.

Using an electric mixer whip the cream adding the sugar a tablespoon at a time until it forms soft peaks.  Set aside.

Cut the cartons away from the ice cream one at a time.  Cut the rectangle into thick slices, about 5/8" thick or thereabouts.  Place the large slices down over the brownie first then cut smaller triangles and shapes to fit.  By now the ice cream has softened somewhat and you can press it out to seal the edges somewhat.

My first layer was chocolate.  Repeat the layers as above.  Next I used vanilla and then strawberry.
Be sure to add additional parchment as needed to form a tall tube as you go.  Frost the top with the whipped cream.  Drape plastic wrap across the entire top of the tube and set in the freezer at least overnight.  Longer is fine too!

Be sure you have made ample space in the freezer to place the completed cake.  Before serving you may want to further decorate with cherries, strawberries, chocolate curls or anything you can imagine!  This makes a large dessert, 12-16 servings depending on the size of your slices.  We had 11 for Easter dinner and there were 5 generous slices left to store.  I placed the single slices in individual plastic containers and stored them in the freezer.  Ready at any time to be enjoyed with no mess!

July is National Ice Cream Month........Enjoy!

Strawberry sorbet topped with vanilla ice cream topped with blueberry sorbet.

So easy and so delicious and who wants to turn on the oven on a hot day.  Plus once you have it made up ice creams and sorbets they stay fresh sealed in the freezer and no one is the wiser as to when you, "went to all that trouble." 

Children love ice cream served up in these old fountain dishes.

I love these old ice cream parlor dishes stacked with the red, white, and blue.  Here are the links for the recipes:     thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2014/04/vanilla-vanilla-ice-cream.html     and      thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2014/07/sorbets-red-white-and-blue-frozen.html

I see more colors and flavors in our future.

The American flag and the flavors used can be as varied as the fruits you use and your imagination.  I am convinced this little ice cream churn was a very good investment!

Sorbets, Red, White, and Blue Frozen Treats for the Forth of July.

20 minutes in my ice cream machine and the sorbet is to a soft serve consistency.

As so many families do we get together for special celebrations. The 4th of July became ever more special when twin boys were born into our family.  That makes for a double celebration!  I am planning a red, white, and blue frozen sorbet/ ice cream treat for late night on the 4th.  Strawberry and Blueberry pulp is all mixed and chilling in the refrigerator to ready for freezing.  That is the red and blue of it!  I am still thinking on the white.  I may just mix up vanilla ice cream you can't miss with that!  I am experimenting with my new ice cream maker and have adapted my recipes from just reading a lot of various sources.

Ingredients for my Basic Fruit Sorbet:

4 C. fresh washed fruit ( I made a batch of strawberry and a batch of blueberry.)
1/4 C. fresh squeezed lemon juice (Any citrus will work.)
1 C. sugar
1 C. water
1/4 C. corn syrup
2-3 T. Vodka, optional

Stir the sugar and water together and bring to a boil in a small saucepan.  Reduce heat to simmer and leave for 5 minutes.   Pour into a jar or bowl, cover, and refrigerate.

I pitched a few stray strawberries in along with the blueberries to use them up.

Place the fruit and  lemon juice in food processor and process together to make a puree.  Strain using a fine mesh strainer into a bowl.  Add the corn syrup and chilled sugar solution and stir well. Strain a second time after rinsing the mesh sieve to dislodge and seeds and pulp.

The double straining insures a velvety smooth sorbet plus it gets the seeds out.

The vodka.....the reason for adding a smidgen  of vodka is to keep the sorbet from freezing into an ice cube when left in the deep freeze.  While you are add it use a flavored vodka if you have it just one more layer of flavor!  It will soften a bit faster and easier if it does harden with the addition of the liquor.

Chill overnight then churn according to mfg. direction.  So pretty and so good!  Each batch should yield a quart of sorbet.

My first batch the strawberry is delicious!  Tomorrow I will freeze a batch of blueberry I have waiting in the refrigerator.   SURE BEATS TURNING ON THE OVEN IN THIS 90 DEGREE HEAT!

I am posting early in case anyone wants to try this for the 4th!

Have a lovely 4th of July and be safe!

New Cookie Recipe, Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies, Home Made Ice Cream, Strawberries, and Pulled Pork for Memorial Day

Last night I baked a batch of cookies for my husband and this morning I baked a friend brownies for her pool party.  Now I am baking for ME! This Memorial Day I am having home made ice cream packed between chocolate chip chocolate cookies to form ice cream sandwiches.  Brian has the smoker cranked up and is smoking a pork butt for pulled pork.  We are well on our way to a lovely holiday meal.  Here is the rest of the menu:

Pulled Pork
Roasted Potatoes
Corn on the Cobb
Cole Slaw
Sweet Tea

Strawberries and Vanilla Ice Cream
with Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

All of the recipes are already posted here on my blog except for these cookies.  The recipe is adapted from the Cuisinart Recipe Booklet that came with my Automatic Ice Cream Maker.  It was supposed to be a cookie for Ice Cream Sandwiches but they look way too fat for that!  My choice would be the adaptation of Martha Stewart's Chocolate Malt Cookie.  Here is the link!     thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2014/05/mothers-day-brought-gift-of-martha.html

Ingredients for Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1/3 C. sifted unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/3 C. sifted bread flour
3/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 T. instant espresso powder
1/2 C. room temperature butter cubed
1 C. sugar
1 large egg
1 t. vanilla
1/2 C. mini semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare the baking sheets with sil-pat baking mats or parchment paper and set aside.

Combine cocoa, flour, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder in a small bowl and whisk together then set aside.

Cream the butter until smooth and silky then add the sugar beating at medium speed.   Add the egg and vanilla and beat together.  Turn the mixer to low speed and add the dry ingredients beating until combined.  Add the mini chips and stir in well.

Drop by 1 1/2" scoop or tablespoon onto prepared pans about 2" apart and bake 15-18 minutes until done.  Let cool on the trays before removing to fully cool on rack.

If you want to make ice cream sandwiches cool completely and spread softened ice cream between 2 cookies of like size and shape.  Wrap well in plastic wrap and return to the freezer until serving time or decorate sides of exposed ice cream with sprinkles, nuts, or crushed cookies beffore wrapping to freeze. 
Yield 18 cookies.

Candy Crunch Ice Cream Pie with Warm Chocolate Sauce

Some ordered dessert with warn chocolate sauce and a few without. 

It was delightful and pretty too.

I am making dessert on the fly for this weeks Sunday dinner!  I have a package of Oreo cookies and that will become a chocolate cookie crust.  A portion of two batches of homemade vanilla ice cream and a bunch of candy from Easter I need to use up.  (This was candy I intended to hide in plastic eggs along with $$ for the egg hunt prior to our Granddaughter being injured.)

Now the candy will star in a frozen ice cream pie!  I am planning a chocolate sauce to drizzle over the top at serving time too! Yum sounds good to me!  In fact I am wondering why I never thought of it before now?  Instead of throwing away seasonal candy the bits can be used for seasonal ice cream pie!  Leftover jelly beans and peeps, chocolate bunnies, any of it could be used in this recipe.  And, ice cream is always in season!

I used candy left from Easter!

Ingredients for Candy Ice Cream Pie:

25 chocolate sandwich cookies
1/2 stick melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Crumble the cookies into crumbs.  Use a food processor or a plastic bag and a rolling pin!  Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and stir well to combine.  Pat the crumbs into a 9" pie plate and bake 5-7 minutes.  Cool completely.  I placed mine in the freezer for 10 minutes and went on to make the filling.

Using a butcher knife and a paper plate I chopped the candy with no mess at all.

1 quart soft ice cream (I used homemade vanilla but use whatever you like.)
1- 1 1/2 C. chopped candies or cookies

Stir the ice cream until smooth and add the candy.

Stir the candy in until combined well.

Spread the ice cream mixture into the cooled crust.

Stir together the softened ice cream and the candy or cookies.  Spread evenly into the cooled cookie crust.  Top with plastic wrap and return to the freezer.

1/4 C. heavy cream
1 C. chocolate chips
1 T. corn syrup

Combine the cream, chocolate chips and corn syrup in a microwave proof bowl and microwave at 20 second intervals stirring each time until smooth and perfectly melted adding a few additional drops of cream and stirring until you reach the desired consistency.  Drizzle over the frozen pie.  You can drizzle and return to the freezer or drizzle over each piece of pie as you serve it.  Yield 6-8 servings.

This certainly wins my award for fast, easy, and delicious summer time dessert!

New "OLD COOKBOOK" a Gift from Aunt Betty

My husband brought home a pleasant surprise last night.  He had lunch with his Uncle Gene.  His wife,  Aunt Betty (Yes, the famous Aunt Betty of the 1-2-3 Cake fame!) sent me a vintage cookbook from the Washington, Indiana Conservation Club.

She knew I was looking for ice cream recipes and shared some very special ones from this book with me.  So. here is a big THANK YOU  shout out to both of them for their thoughtfulness and generosity.  Something that not only flourishes but abounds here in Indiana!

Not only are there ice cream recipes but a really good looking one for French dressing, just what I have been looking for!  Plus I came across several for cooking squirrel, rabbits, and venison.  All of which I have cooked at one time or another but none of which I make on a regular basis!  I always am intrigued by these recipes and these types of cook books!  I find them fascinating.

Vanilla, Vanilla Ice Cream

My birthday was in March and I am the new owner of a Cuisinart Automatic Ice Cream Maker.
I am astounded at the simplicity and speed at which this new appliance works.  Gees!  I am used to the old salt and crank ice cream.  This little machine is easy all around and fast!  Ice cream in 20-25 minutes do far.  Yummy too.  MY RULE is to place the "CHILL" bowl into the bottom of the freezer and just leave it there until needed.  After using wash, dry, and place it back in the bottom of the freezer until next time.  Then I am always ready!

This weekend I adapted 2 recipes from the manufactures recipe book and they were both great.  Here is the first.

Ingredients for Simple Vanilla Ice Cream:

1 C. 2% milk
3/4 C. sugar
2 C. heavy cream
pinch of salt
1 T. pure vanilla

Whisk together the milk, sugar, and salt until the sugar and salt are dissolved.  Add the cream and vanilla and mix thoroughly.  Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

Assemble the "chill" bowl and paddle in the ice cream maker and pour in the chilled liquid.  Place the cover on and turn ON.  Let it mix 20-25 minutes until it is the consistency of frozen soft serve.

I make it ahead and freeze to serve later or you could serve now.  I remove the ice cream to a covered container and freeze.  Yield about 5 cups.

Ingredients for Custard Style Vanilla Ice Cream:

2 C. 2% milk
2 C. heavy cream
1 C. sugar divided
pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
1 T. pure vanilla

Using a heavy bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the milk, cream, half the sugar, and salt.  Bring to just BEFORE the boiling point.

While the milk mixture is heating combine the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until very pale and thick.

When the hot mixture is just prior to the bowl whisk about 1/3 of it into the eggs, whisk in the other 1/3 of the mixture then return it all back to the saucepan.    Use a wooden spoon and stir the mixture over low heat until it thickens slightly and coats the spoon.  DO NOT BOIL!  It should thicken slightly in only a few seconds.

Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer and cool to room temperature.  Next refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

Install the "CHILL" bowl from the freezer to the appliance and add the paddle and cold custard.  A fix the cover and turn the ice cream maker on.  Let it churn and freeze for 20-25 minutes.  This will be soft frozen and can be served or stored in a covered dish in the freezer until ready to serve.  Yield 6 cups.