Slushed! Part 16

1 cup graham cracker crumbs 2 tablespoons sugar 4 tablespoons b.u.t.ter, melted FILLING.

24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature cup sugar cup heavy cream cup marmalade Zest from 1 orange 1 teaspoon vanilla extract cup Grand Marnier Whipped cream and graham crackers, for garnish Line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with a round of parchment paper.

Put the graham cracker crumbs in a bowl. Add the 2 tablespoons of sugar and the melted b.u.t.ter. Mix until uniform. Set aside.

To make the cheesecake, put the softened cream cheese, cup of sugar, cream, marmalade, orange zest, vanilla extract, and Grand Marnier in the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer). Beat on low until the mixture comes together. Then beat on medium-high for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is fluffy and uniform.

Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan. Smooth the surface down so it's relatively even. Sprinkle evenly with graham cracker mixture. Freeze overnight.

To serve, remove the outer ring of the springform pan and invert onto a serving plate. Slice with a sharp, unserrated knife. If you're having trouble, leave the cake on the counter for 20 minutes before slicing, or run your knife under hot water to warm it up.

Garnish with whipped cream and a small graham cracker.

Making Sure Cream Cheese is Room Temperature Set the cream cheese out on the counter for half an hour to bring it up to room temperature before you use it. Be sure to make time to do this. If the cream cheese is too cold, it won't break up completely, and you'll wind up with little blobs in your finished cake.

Frozen Kahlua Cheesecake

It might sound dramatic, but chocolate graham crackers are a G.o.dsend. Bash them to bits and combine with a little b.u.t.ter, sugar, and chocolate, and they make the absolute best crust for any chocolate- or coffee-based frozen cheesecake or pie. (They also make killer s'mores.) The filling for this cheesecake is laced with coffee and Kahlua-and dotted with mini chocolate chips. Serve garnished with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

MAKES 1 8-INCH CHEESECAKE.

CRUST.

1 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs 2 tablespoons sugar 4 tablespoons b.u.t.ter, melted cup mini chocolate chips FILLING.

24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature cup sugar 1 cup heavy cream cup strong brewed coffee, chilled 1 teaspoon vanilla extract cup Kahlua 1 cup mini chocolate chips Whipped cream, for garnish Chocolate shavings, for garnish Line the bottom of an 8 springform pan with a round of parchment paper.

Put the graham cracker crumbs in a bowl. Add the 2 tablespoons of sugar and the melted b.u.t.ter. Mix until uniform. Let cool completely. Mix in the mini chocolate chips. Set aside.

Make the cheesecake by putting the softened cream cheese, cup of sugar, cream, brewed coffee, vanilla extract, and Kahlua in the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer). Beat on low until the mixture comes together. Then beat on medium-high for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is fluffy and uniform. Fold in 1 cup of mini chocolate chips.

Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan. Smooth the surface down so it's relatively even. Sprinkle evenly with graham cracker mixture. Freeze overnight.

To serve, remove the outer ring of the springform pan and invert onto a serving plate. Slice with a sharp, unserrated knife. If you're having trouble, leave the cake on the counter for 20 minutes before slicing, or run your knife under hot water to warm it up.

Garnish with fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Graham Cracker Crumbs Use packaged graham cracker crumbs (find them in the baking aisle of most big grocery stores) for this recipe-or make your own. To do this, put about 1012 graham crackers in a zip-top bag. Seal and crush into crumbs with a rolling pin.

Frozen Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie is one of those old-fashioned, grandmother desserts that's really hard to resist. This frozen version is made with crisp chocolate wafer cookies and a rich chocolate and creme fraiche ice cream. Top with fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings right before serving for a stunning tableside presentation.

MAKES 1 9-INCH PIE.

CRUST.

3 cups Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers, crushed to crumbs 2 tablespoons sugar 5 tablespoons b.u.t.ter, melted FILLING.

2 cups heavy cream 1 cup whole milk cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 6 egg yolks cup sugar cup creme fraiche (or whole milk sour cream) cup chocolate liqueur TOPPING.

2 cups heavy cream 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract Good-quality dark chocolate, shaved Make the crust by putting the chocolate cookie crumbs in a bowl. Add the 2 tablespoons of sugar and the melted b.u.t.ter. Mix until uniform. Let cool completely. To make the crust, press the crumbs into a 9" pie plate. Pop into the freezer to chill while you make the ice cream.

Make the ice cream by heating the cream and milk in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot until the mixture just starts to steam. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Let it sit for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is uniform.

Put the egg yolks and cup sugar in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth.

Slowly ladle the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to combine. When you've added it all, transfer the mixture back to your pot.

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 170F on a candy thermometer. Don't let the mixture boil.

Strain the mixture into a large bowl to get rid of any tiny bits of cooked egg. Whisk in the creme fraiche and chocolate liqueur. Set the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice, whisking frequently until the mixture cools to room temperature. Then refrigerate to chill completely, anywhere from 46 hours.

Process the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

a.s.semble the pie by transferring the soft ice cream into your prepared pie crust. Smooth down the surface with a spatula. Freeze overnight.

Right before serving, make the topping. Put the cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in your mixer. Beat to stiff peaks. Heap on the pie. Top with chocolate shavings. Slice with a hot knife.

Frozen Key Lime Margarita Pie

Key Lime Pie is traditionally a mixture of sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and key lime juice. (See Chocolate Truffle Ice Cream recipe for more information on condensed milk.) This simplified version incorporates the same flavors in a cheesecake-type pie spiked with tequila. Fresh key limes can be hard to find, but bottled juice is readily available and perfectly acceptable for this pie.

MAKES 1 9-INCH PIE.

CRUST.

3 cups graham cracker crumbs 2 tablespoons sugar 5 tablespoons b.u.t.ter, melted FILLING.

16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature cup sugar cup key lime juice Zest of 1 lime 2 tablespoons tequila Whipped cream, for garnish Put the graham cracker crumbs in a bowl. Add the 2 tablespoons of sugar and the melted b.u.t.ter. Mix until uniform. Press into the pie plate to form your crust. Pop the pan into the freezer to chill while you make the filling.

Make the filling by microwaving the cream cheese for a minute or two to warm it up. This will make it much easier to stir.

Put the warm cream cheese, cup of sugar, key lime juice, lime zest, and tequila in the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer). Beat on low until the mixture comes together. Then beat on medium-high for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is fluffy and uniform.

Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan. Smooth the surface down so it's relatively even. Freeze overnight.

To serve, slice with a sharp, unserrated knife. If you're having trouble, leave the pie on the counter for 10 minutes before slicing, or run your knife under hot water to warm it up. Garnish with whipped cream.

The 2-Ingredient Sa.s.sy Vegan Banana

This is a really great frozen dessert for folks who don't eat dairy. It's also really (like, really, really) easy-and makes for a practically instant dessert if you keep a bag of frozen, sliced bananas in your freezer. For the best flavor and consistency, make sure that your bananas are really ripe. You can also use it as a frozen pie filling as is. Just fill a 9-inch pie sh.e.l.l with it, smooth down, and freeze overnight.

MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART.

5 large ripe bananas, peeled and sliced into 1-inch chunks cup of creme de banana liqueur Place the banana slices on a plate and freeze for about 2 hours.

Puree the frozen bananas and liqueur in your food processor or blender, stopping the machine as needed to sc.r.a.pe down the sides of the container and push the bananas down. (How much you have to monkey with it depends on how strong your processor or blender is.) If they're not blending well, add a tablespoon or two of soy or almond milk to loosen the mixture up. Transfer to a container. Freeze overnight. Scoop into bowls and serve.

Customize your c.o.c.ktail flavor! For a Vegan Banana Margarita, add cup tequila. For a Vegan Dirty Banana, add cup Kahlua. For a Vegan Bananas Foster, add cup dark rum.

Simple Fried Bananas

For an out-of-this-world sundae, garnish this recipe with hot, fried bananas.

1 large, ripe banana, peeled and sliced 1 tablespoon canola oil Heat the canola oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the bananas, and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown on the bottom, another 3 minutes. Spoon over ice cream and serve immediately.

Mola.s.ses & Ginger Brandy Ice Cream Sandwiches

Here's a tasty little treat that's packed with ginger from start to finish. Make the ice cream and bake the cookies one day, then a.s.semble the sandwiches the next day. The ice cream needs to set up overnight. For extra oomph, roll the sandwiches in finely chopped candied ginger.

MAKES 12 ICE CREAM SANDWICHES.

ICE CREAM.

6 egg yolks cup sugar 1 tablespoon ground ginger 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup whole milk cup ginger brandy cup candied ginger, finely chopped COOKIES.

8 tablespoons b.u.t.ter, softened cup white sugar cup brown sugar teaspoon vanilla extract 1 jumbo egg cup mola.s.ses 1 cups flour teaspoon kosher salt teaspoon baking powder teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon powdered ginger teaspoon cinnamon cup heavy cream TO MAKE THE ICE CREAM.

Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and ground ginger together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Set aside.

Put the milk and cream in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture just starts to simmer around the edges.

Remove the pot from the heat. Slowly drizzle the hot mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper it. Return the combined mixture to the pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it registers 170F on a candy thermometer and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove from the heat. Strain the mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the ginger brandy. Cool in an ice bath, then refrigerate until totally chilled, about 46 hours. Process in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, adding the chopped candied ginger in the last 5 minutes. Transfer to a container and freeze overnight until solid.

TO BAKE THE COOKIES.

Preheat your oven to 375F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.

Beat the softened b.u.t.ter, white sugar, and brown sugar in your mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and mola.s.ses and beat until uniform.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, powdered ginger, and cinnamon.

Beat half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add the cream and beat to incorporate. Beat in the rest of the dry ingredients until the dough is uniform. It should be the consistency of thick peanut b.u.t.ter.

Using a small soup spoon, drop the dough onto your prepared sheet pans. You want to wind up with 24 evenly sized blobs of dough. Bake for about 10 minutes, until they're barely brown on the bottom and edges. Cool on a wire rack.

a.s.semble the ice cream sandwiches: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Let the ice cream stand on the counter for about 20 minutes to soften up.

Put a scoop or two of ice cream on one cookie. Top with another cookie and gently press it down so the ice cream spreads to the edges. Set on your prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the rest of the cookies.