Even though summer is over, the heat is still plaguing Western Michigan. I know that come January, my southern blood will be crying out for heat but it has been 90* everyday for the past week and I am not here for it. I just want soup and casseroles and to wear boots with sweaters, is that too much to ask?
So while everyone else is digging into pumpkin and apple and butternut squash – I’m over here searching my freezer for this ice cream cake. It’s sweet, salty, crunchy and most importantly COLD.
On a more serious note, I first made this cake back in June for my birthday. My family was coming to visit and we were having a little cookout with friends and I needed something to serve for dessert. I wanted something decadent since I would have many mouths to feed but I needed something easy that I could make ahead of time and just serve. I also really just wanted something cold that didn’t require me to turn on my oven in late June!
So, I made a thick, rich, decadently large ice cream cake with cookies and homemade salted caramel and vanilla bean ice cream knowing everyone would take a little piece and leave me just enough to enjoy on my couch when all the company had left.
Spoiler Alert: there wasn’t any left!
It was too good not to share with you so when August rolled around I made another one for my husband’s birthday!
I declared to our friends that I am taking orders for more birthdays to provide these cakes but really anyone can do it! This ice cream cake looks fancy but it is seriously so easy. No cooking skills required really, just a little creativity, a spring form pan and a food processor. What is even better as there are only 5 ingredients and most of them are already probably in your house!
How much do you love me now?
Salted Caramel Cookie Ice Cream Cake
Ingredients
For the salted caramel
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons salted butter. cut into chunks
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the cake
- 14 ounces chocolate sandwich cookies
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened
- 3/4 cup salted caramel sauce, divided
Instructions
To make the salted caramel
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In a medium saucepan, heat sugar over medium-high heat stirring frequently. In between stirring, the sugar will clump and then crystallize and start to melt down. Continue stirring until completely melted so that nothing burns or sticks to your saucepan. Once melted, sugar will be a thick syrup consistency that is golden brown in color.
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As soon as sugar is melted, add 6 tablespoons of butter. It will splatter and bubble so be careful, stir constantly until butter is melted and completely combined, about 2-3 minutes.
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Turn heat down to medium and slowly drizzle in heavy cream. The bubbling and splatter will continue but do not stir. Allow mixture to bubble and boil for 1 minute and then promptly remove from the heat. While boiling the mixture will rise in the saucepan but will settle once removed from the heat. Once off the heat, stir well and add in salt. Allow to cool at least 10-15 minutes.
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**This caramel sauce can be made in advance and keeps well in a glass jar in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks. Caramel will stiffen up when cold so a quick 20-30 second in the microwave will make it loose again. The total recipe will make about 2 cups of salted caramel.
To make the ice cream cake
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Pulse chocolate cookies in the food processor until fine crumbs form. Set half aside. To the remaining half of the crumbs, add melted butter and stir well. Pour this mixture into the bottom of a springform pan and press into a circular crust. Drizzle 1/4 cup caramel sauce over the top of the crust. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and freeze about 20 minutes.
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Take springform pan out of the freezer and spread one quart of softened vanilla ice cream evenly over the crust. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs and drizzle with 1/4 cup caramel sauce. Return to the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
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Once the first ice cream layer is set and frozen, add the second quart of vanilla ice cream and spread into an even layer. Drizzle the top with caramel sauce and decorate as you please. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve. Let sit at room temperature for approximately 10 minutes before serving
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**This can be made up to a week in advance. However, if you are going to store in freezer for more than 1 day, cover the entire pan with a second layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil to keep from freezer burn.