Category: Dessert

Posted in Dessert

Tasty Treat Thursdays: Peanut Brittle and Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Pie

Posted on by Northerly Nosh

Peanut Brittle and Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Pie

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Caramel sauce –
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup

Pie –
9 whole graham crackers
1/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, hot
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup salted roasted cocktail peanuts
3 pints premium vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
5 tablespoons natural-style (non-hydrogenated) creamy peanut butter
1 cup coarsely chopped peanut brittle

Prep Day:

Caramel sauce – Place cream in small saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring just to simmer. Mix in butter and sea salt; set vanilla cream aside.
Stir sugar, 1/3 cup water, and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, brushing down sides with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in vanilla cream (mixture will bubble). Set sauce aside.

Pie – Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 9-inch-diameter pie dish with foil. Finely grind graham crackers and brown sugar in processor. Add butter and vanilla; blend until moist crumbs form. Add nuts; blend just until finely chopped. Using plastic wrap as aid, press crumbs firmly onto bottom and up sides of foil-lined pie dish. Freeze 15 minutes.

Bake crust until brown, about 15 minutes. Freeze 1 hour. Using foil, lift crust from dish; carefully peel off foil. Return crust to pie dish. Drizzle 1/2 cup caramel sauce over bottom of crust. Freeze 30 minutes. Spoon 1 1/2 pints ice cream into crust; smooth top. Drizzle 3 tablespoons peanut butter over, then 2 tablespoons sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup brittle. Freeze 1 hour. Spoon remaining 1 1/2 pints ice cream over; smooth top. Drizzle 2 tablespoons peanut butter over, then 2 tablespoons sauce. Sprinkle edge of pie with 1/2 cup brittle. Freeze at least 4 hours. Before serving.

Freezing Directions: Pie can be made 3 days ahead; tent with foil and freeze. Cover and chill remaining sauce.

Serve Day: Cut pie into wedges. Rewarm sauce and pass separately.

Posted in Dessert

Tasty Treat Thursdays: Pear Sorbet in Gingersnap Cups

Posted on by Northerly Nosh

Pear Sorbet in Gingersnap Cups

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makes about 8

4 pears, peeled, cored, and sliced, plus one additional pear for garnish
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
*2 T sparkling white wine or pear liquor (only if this is being made for adults only)

2 cups finely ground gingersnap crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Prep Day: Make the gingersnap cups, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine gingersnap crumbs and butter in a bowl. Lightly spray muffin cups with cooking spray. Press 2 heaping tablespoons of gingersnap mixture into each muffin cup and up the sides. Bake for 7 minutes. Cool completely. Turn pan over and pat the back to release gingersnap cups.

For the sorbet, simmer pears, sugar, and water for 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour into a blender or food processor and puree. Refrigerate until cold. Freeze in an ice cream maker or in a bowl in the freezer. *If this is for adults only, I recommend adding a couple of tablespoons of white wine (sparkling would be great) or pear liquor. This will add flavor and keep the sorbet from solidifying too hard in the freezer. Eat within 24 hours of making.

Serving Day: Scoop pear sorbet into gingersnap cups and garnish with a slice of pear.

Posted in Dessert

Tasty Treat Thursdays: Frozen Mochaccino Bars

Posted on by Northerly Nosh

Frozen Mochaccino Bars

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Chocolate Cookie Crust
1 package (9 ounces) chocolate wafer cookies
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

Ice Cream Filling
1 quart coffee ice cream, softened
1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened

Prep Day:

Chocolate Cookie Crust – In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse cookies and cinnamon until very finely ground. With food processor running, drizzle in butter until blended. With hand, pat 1 cup cookie-crumb mixture evenly onto bottom of 9-inch by 9-inch metal pan or glass baking dish. Place pan in freezer 15 minutes to firm crust.

Ice Cream Filling – Spoon coffee ice cream over cookie crust. Place plastic wrap on ice cream; press down to spread evenly and to eliminate any air pockets. Remove plastic wrap. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over ice cream. Return pan to freezer for 15 minutes.

Spoon vanilla ice cream over crumb layer. Place plastic wrap on ice cream and spread evenly; remove plastic wrap. Cover pan and freeze at least 6 hours or until firm. If not serving bars same day, wrap and freeze up to 2 weeks.

Serve Day: uncover and let stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften slightly for easier slicing. Cut into 16 squares.