Introducing The Ice Cream-Pake: Strawberry Pie Inside of a Cookies-and-Cream Ice Cream Cake

I have been making homemade ice cream like crazy lately. And although I LOVE to experiment with chocolate ice cream, I have a lot of fun making different versions of vanilla ice cream too.

So when I made an awesome batch of Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, I decided to something more profound with it than just eat it. Instead, I made an Ice Cream Cake Piecaken, or Ice Cream Pake as I like to call it (get it? Instead of Ice Cream Cake, I wrote...oh you get the picture).

Since strawberry season is in full swing, I figured what better way to celebrate than to make a pie?  And then what better pairing than Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, Chocolate ganache and Strawberries?

So here is a visual set of instructions as to how to make the same at home. Trust me, this is a party pleaser!

1. Make a cookie crumb crust using crushed Oreo Cookies or Chocolate Wafer Cookies in an 8" springform pan ( mix together about 1.5 cups of crumbs, 1/3 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup of melted butter together then press into the base of your pan). If your pan is not tall enough, get creative an make a clean cardboard roll to insert to increase height.

2. Make or buy Cookies and Cream ice cream (for a recipe for homemade ice cream, click here)

3. Scoop half the ice cream onto the crust.

4. Take a homemade or store bought 8" strawberry pie, remove the pie pan and place gently onto the ice cream cake base.

5. Use nearly all the ice cream to add a layer to the top of the pie. Reserve a half cup in the freezer to fill in cracks later.

6. Wrap it and freeze for 2 hours.

 

7. Remove from freezer, then run a knife around the inside of the pan sides. Release and remove the springform sides.

8. Use the remaining ice cream to fill in the cracks around the pie. Press cookie crumbs into the sides if you wish, just for an added yum! factor.

9. Top with chocolate ganache (4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate and 1/2 cup whipping cream melted together in the microwave for 1 minute, stirred until smooth) and a few more cookie crumbs.

10. Freeze for at least 2 hours. Slice using a hot knife (I'm not sayin' this part is easy, but it can be done!)

Move over Dairy Queen, and meet the new Queen of Ice Cream Cakes! ...er 'Pakes'.