Ice Box Cake

While looking for something completely different, I ran across a recipe for something called Ice Box Cake. It dates back to the 50's or the 40's or maybe even the 20's and it's an incredibly easy recipe. And no doubt developed by a brand to sell their products.

But that doesn't matter. Sometimes those brand-developed recipes are the best.

And this one sounded intriguing. Basically, it's the cookies layered with whipped cream between them, then the stack is laid on its side, and the the whole thing is covered with whipped cream and it's refrigerated overnight. Then, it needs to be sliced on the diagonal to show the cookie stripes.

First, I tried a little stack of just a few cookies and it was really good. The whipped cream softened the cookies to make them cake-like. So I decided to make a larger cake.

But instead of stacking, then laying them on their sides - that seems awkward, and I didn't have a good plate for that sort of thing - I decided to stack. That way, I could slice straight down at any angle and it would show the stripes.

I used the traditional cookies - now made by Nabisco, they're called Famous Chocolate Wafers. And I made my own whipped cream, spiking it with Crown Maple Whisky. I like the flavor a lot, and I thought the maple would go well with the chocolate wafers.

Ice Box Cake

1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons Crown Maple Whisky
24 Famous Chocolate Wafers

First, make the whipped cream - in a large bowl, whisk the cream, sugar, and whisky until it reaches stiff peaks. Then start layering - a layer of cookies, then whipped cream.

I made two rows of three cookies, and made three layers like that. Then I made two more layers of three cookies in the middle. I wasn't something I planned - it just thought it might look interesting.

Then I used a piping bag to cover the whole thing with whipped cream, leaving a few spots showing a few layers of cookies. I might work on the design. Maybe something round next time, or a ring of cookies. Or more whipped cream. Or less.

Then, refrigerate overnight. This softens the cookies to a cake-like consistency, which is what you're looking for. Good stuff. 

Have you ever tried anything like this?

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