testblog: Chocolate Chip Cookie & Praline Ice Cream Cake

An ultimate vanilla ice cream cake with salted chocolate chip cookies and almond praline. A "to-die-for" combination that will excite your taste buds!

Few things get me out of control when it comes to sweets. I have now explored that this chocolate chip ice cream cake is one of them. I can let go of many things, like chocolates and other sweet stuff when I am being strict with how much sweetness to put in me, but let me tell you that I have a weakness of sweet and salty combinations, be it chocolate, cakes, ice cream or the like. And I think that is why I lost this time ending up with literally eating the whole cake all alone (not being the biggest fond of ice cream), with the exception of the one piece I gave to my sister and the two bites my niece had and a tiny piece which someone had stolen from the freezer! I am glad there was no more of this cake, or I think I would have put on a few kilos in a short time.

The idea of making this ice cream cake actually stroke me when I made a batch of Fleur de Sel & Oatmeal Double Chocolate Chip Cookies the other day. I have always loved to add crushed chocolate chip cookies in my ice cream, it is just so good. Having freshly made chocolate chip cookies at my hand, and that too salted, I thought why not use them in the vanilla ice cream which has been in the freezer for a long time. No one is really fond of plain vanilla ice cream, I think. Chocolate chip cookies and ice cream is a sure winner combination, but I wanted to add a twist to this and therefore the thought of adding crushed praline sounded tempting yet being a bit unsure on how well it would work with chocolate chip cookies. But as we have a saying here in Norway "the one who does not dare, does not win", I went for it. And do I need say more? I think the illustration of me ending up eating the whole ice cream cake alone should be a proof that the combination was to die for!

The chocolate chip cookies and praline had developed such a nice soft texture in the ice cream and they complimented each other really well. And not enough with that the taste of sea salt from the cookies mixing up with the sweetness of the ice cream and crunchiness of the pralines; indescribable! A little funny to think that this cake was meant for my sister's family, but I had made a creamy fruit salad that day and then we had it instead and I got the ice cream cake saved for me alone not even bothering to share with anyone at home.

The weather has been so lovely the past days, it really feels like spring is here. The sun has warmed up the bright days and I can not remember if I have seen this mild March before. And when the weather is amazing, you really crave for cakes that are more light and cold and summery, and this ice cream cake is a winner in these days. I have even another idea of combination to use in ice cream and I might come up with it as soon as I have tried it out.

I n g r e d i e n t s

1,5 - 2 liters vanilla ice cream, good quality
1/2 quantity Sea salt & Oatmeal Double Chocolate Chip Cookies or
10 chocolate chip cookies, store bought
100 g praline, crushed

Praline

75 g sugar
30 g almonds, chopped roughly

Prepare a baking paper, greased with oil or waxed on a tray

1. Melt the sugar over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes (be careful, it goes fast and you do not want to burn the
sugar)until the sugar is just melted in lightly auburn in color
2. Remove immediately from heat and add roughly chopped almonds, stir to combine
3. Spread it out on prepared baking paper

Let cool for about 15 minutes and it is ready for use

NB! If the praline is stuck to the baking paper, brush some cold water on the baking paper, wait for a few minutes and it will slip off easily

Making the ice cream cake

1. Let the ice cream at room temperature for about an hour or until it just gets a soft and creamy consistent which is
easy to spread(you do not want melted ice cream)

2. Meanwhile, prepare a round spring form, about 20-24 cm with plastic wrap

3. Crush the chocolate chip cookies with a kitchen mallet to medium to fine crumbs, leaving a few crumbs larger than others

4. Crush the praline roughly

Now that all the components are ready, we need to assembly the cake

Assembly

1. Spread 1/3 of the ice cream on the prepared spring form

2. Sprinkle over 1/3 of the crushed praline and use a spoon to stir it in

3. Take half of the chocolate chip cookie crumbs and sprinkle over evenly

4. Spread another layer of 1/3 part ice cream over the cookies layer

5. Repeat with crushed praline and cookie crumbs

6. Add a final layer of ice cream and finish off with some crushed praline sprinkled on top

7. Cover with plastic wrap

Let firm in the freezer overnight (it is important as the texture and flavors has to develop)

Cut around the edges using a knife dipped in hot water to let the ice cream cake slip off from the form

Amazing ice cream cake.. I love it!