Sunday, April 22, 2012

S'moresey Ice Cream Cake

This is one of the cakes that inspired Benjamin's birthday cake.
You can find the complete recipe here:




For Benjamin's birthday cake I adjusted the Ladies Home Journal recipe for S'more Sensation.
I call this S'moresey Ice Cream Cake. That's right. I said S'moresey. Umm. S'mores. Chocolate. Graham Cracker. Marshmallow. Toasted. Ice Cream. and Cake.
Drooling?
Of course you are!
So let's begin!


Use the food processor to grind up your graham crackers and melted butter. Reserve 1/3 of the mixture for later. The other 2/3 need to go in a 9" springform pan. I like to dump mine in the middle and then press the crumbs to the edges first and then the bottom. It seems to come out pretty evenly that way.


Stash that in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. This is when I made my 8" round layer of chocolate cake. You can make the cake at any time before step 4. It does need to cool before adding it to the pan. I used our "Very Best Chocolate Cake" recipe and cut it in half. I'll post that recipe another time.
Spread one jar of fudge sauce over the crumbs. Freeze again. Meanwhile soften your chocolate ice cream. I picked Chocolate Fudge Brownie. Add in about 1/2- 3/4 cup of marshmallows to your ice cream and then layer that over the fudge sauce.


Next layer is the chocolate cake, topped with another layer of fudge sauce. Sprinkle the remainder of graham crumbs over the fudge sauce. Then the softened vanilla ice cream. Freeze the cake in between each layer.




Cover the top of your cake with the mini marshmallows. Put oven rack about 6" below broiler and heat. Broil the cake for 1 to 2 minutes until toasted, then return to freezer. When firm cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 5 hours or up to 3 days.


Just before serving break Hershey bar in pieces and each piece in half. Decorate the top of cake with the Hershey pieces.




S'moresey Ice Cream Cake


Ingredients
3 packages graham crackers (27 rectangles - usually one box)
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 12 ounce jars chocolate fudge sauce
1 quart chocolate ice cream
2 cups mini marshmallows


1 8" round layer of chocolate cake
3/4 quart vanilla ice cream


1 Hershey's candy bar


Directions
1. Prepare your chocolate cake. You can use a cake mix and do 2 layers or 1 layer and the rest in cupcakes for another use. If you have an extra layer of cake you can crumble it and save it for cake balls, or freeze it to have a treat another day. Or make half a chocolate cake recipe.


2. Grind graham crackers into fine crumbs in a food processor. Add melted butter and blend. Press 2/3 of the mixture evenly into a 9-inch springform pan, coating the bottom and 2 inches up the sides. Save remaining crumbs for step 4. Freeze until solid, about 30 min.
3. Spread half of the fudge sauce over the crust; refreeze. Meanwhile, soften chocolate ice cream and stir in 3/4 cup marshmallows. Spread mixture over fudge; freeze until firm.


4. Put in layer of chocolate cake. Spread remaining fudge over cake, and sprinkle remaining 1/3 of graham cracker crumbs and freeze until firm. Spread softened vanilla ice cream on top of cake; freeze solid.
5. Place oven rack 6 inches from broiler; heat broiler. Top cake with remaining marshmallows. Place under broiler 1 to 2 min until marshmallows are toasted, then return to freezer. When firm, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 5 hrs or up to 3 days.
6. To serve, wrap a warm, damp towel around the pan, then release outer ring. Break each Hershey piece in half and decorate top of cake with the chocolate bar. Use a spatula to remove dessert from pan. Makes 10 servings.






Our 2-year-old didn't have any trouble finishing off his slice of chocolate goodness.



We ended up eating half the cake for his birthday, our family of 5 and Grammy and Papa. We sent our chocolate-loving Grammy home with an extra slice. Then we called our neighbors and shared 5 slices with them. The last slice was enjoyed by the birthday boy a few days later, in his room with the door shut, so that none of the other little kiddles came screaming for ice cream!

Thursday, April 12, 2012

HUGE Tortillas

Kannon brought these tortillas home after a shopping trip with his mother. I believe he found them at a store called 'Cash 'n Carry'.


In this picture they are set on top of my 9x13 pan which is completely covered. That pan is on top of a cookie sheet. The black griddle in the back is what we usually cook our quesadillas on. It fits a normal sized tortilla shell perfectly. That should give you an idea of their monstrous size!


We came up with some fun ways to use them. With reconstituted refried beans and cheese.
Which I then took and fried like a Taco Bell burrito!

I made pizzas with them. I think I doubled the tortilla. Two tortillas for one pizza, with some extra cheese in between them. These were spread with Ranch salad dressing, sprinkled with chopped tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. They were pretty yummy.


What would you do with a King-size Tortilla!?