Get to Know a Serious Eater.

ienefra's Profile

Website:

Location:

About:

Favorite foods:

Last bite on earth:

The Ten Most Recent Posts By ienefra

From Talk

Ice cream cake - can you help me make it?

Posted by ienefra, April 8, 2008 at 3:07 PM

Two weeks from now, I'm making a chocolate-raspberry ice cream cake for a friend's birthday, and am now trying to hammer out the details. Specifically, I'm seeking advice on these components:

1. THE CAKE I want the base to be a white cake (just one not-too-thick layer), but am unsure as to which type would be best - angel food, sponge, old-fashioned sheet/layer cake made with butter? I'm not really sure how being in the freezer for a time would affect each type and which would hold up most well.

2. THE TOPPING What type of frosting/glaze should I use? I was initially thinking a bittersweet hot fudge-type of sauce that could be poured/spread on while fairly cool (so as not to melt the ice cream) but would firm up AND still be reasonably pliable once in the freezer. Anyone have a recipe that fits those criteria? To further complicate matters, yesterday I saw a lovely and delicious-looking ice cream cake recipe that used a topping of good old chocolate ganache. But would that be wrecked by going into the chill depths of the freezer??

So yeah, I'm obsessing over this cake - but happily, I swear. If anyone else has any opinions/ideas regarding the cake base or chocolate topping, they would be very welcome! (Apologies for the long-ish post.)

13 Comments

The Ten Most Recent Comments By ienefra

From Talk

Cookout Dessert

Similar to the peaches - you can grill banana halves, sliced lengthwise, and top with ice cream. (I'm partial to a good dark chocolate.) So good...

ienefra at 2:23PM on 06/25/08

From Talk

Ice cream cake - can you help me make it?

@ nelson5757 - Haha, I requested a Fudgie the Whale every birthday for the better part of half my life! (I'm 22 now and haven't even had a birthday cake for the past few years, but I may need to revisit Fudgie this summer.)

@kjgibson - That sounds utterly delicious, and beautifully sophisticated to boot.

@ PerkyMac - She did specifically ask for white cake, but if it turns out well, maybe next time I can use the brownie idea, which does sound yummy!

@ Hunnyoil - Thanks for the suggestion! Ah, I can't wait for fresh strawberries again...

ienefra at 5:36PM on 04/08/08

From Required Eating

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: D'Artagnan Heritage Smoked Ham

Besides the meat of course: Dijon and whole grain mustard, goat cheese crumbles, and a slice of Swiss, left open face and toasted in the oven so the cheese is gooey and the edges of the bread are crunchy. Maybe with some honey or fig jam on the side for smearing.

ienefra at 4:44PM on 12/05/07

From Required Eating

Unbelieveable! This Is Not Butter!

As a big fan of The Princess Bride, I think there should be one called "Inconceivable! It's not butter!" - with Wallace Shawn's face prominently featured on the packaging, of course. Heh, hope I don't lose too many people with that reference...

ienefra at 4:10PM on 11/19/07

From Required Eating

Win Your Thanksgiving Turkey!

In the oven, but next to the bird, not inside.

ienefra at 1:50PM on 11/14/07

From Talk

Rainy day food?

Nigel Slater's sausage pasta with mustard cream sauce: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pasta-with-sausage-basil-and-mustard

Mmm, I can't wait for it to get cold again, just so I can make that a million times! (I really like it with andouille, too.)

ienefra at 5:37PM on 08/16/07

From Required Eating

Cook the Book: 'The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook'

It's more of a meal than a dish, but: Fluffy, tender-bellied hushpuppies that hemorrhage steam when you pull them apart, followed by juicy fried chicken with a golden, pepper-flecked crunchy crust and gravy-drenched mashed potatoes (if I can stop eating hushpuppies before I fill up, that is).

ienefra at 1:46PM on 07/23/07

From Talk

Do you have weekly food traditions?

This happened accidentally a couple years ago: Thursday became tacos night - specifically, (crispy, melting-tender, juicy, insanely succulent and delicious) carnitas tacos with pickled red onions and cilantro. I fast during the day in preparation, and not only do I have plenty of room for them, but they taste even better.

ienefra at 1:42PM on 07/19/07

From Talk

Question of the Day: What weird things did you like as a child?

Those processed bologna squares with the little flecks of yellow cheese . *shudder*

ienefra at 1:10PM on 07/10/07

From Talk

Early sweet corn!

I've made my sort-of succotash salad twice already this summer, and in fact just ate the latest leftovers for lunch today - yum! Just cut the kernels off of four ears of sweet corn (I use it raw), mix with baby lima/fava beans (careful not to overcook), halved grape or quartered cherry tomatoes, fresh basil (and whatever other herbs, like oregano and Italian parsley), salt and pepper, and a dressing of mustard (I use a blend of stone ground and Nance's hot mustard), olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. I never measure anything, but it always tastes just about perfect.

ienefra at 5:29PM on 07/09/07

Responses to Comments by ienefra

From Talk

Cookout Dessert

My hands-down favorite, if you have access to a freezer to store it until dessert-time, is lemonade pie with pretzel crust. Make a pretzel crust just as you would a graham cracker crust - except use pretzels, of course. Crushed pretzels, butter, sugar. Pat evenly into pie plate. Bake, then cool. Then, slightly soften 1 quart of vanilla ice cream and mix until smooth with one 6-oz. can of lemonade (or limeade, or pink lemonade). If you can stand not to eat the entire frosty bowl while you're standing there, pile the filling in the cooled pretzel crust and freeze several hours until firm. These are incredibly addictive and we eat them all summer long. They are PERFECT with cookout food. You can garnish with little puffs of whipped cream and lemon zest, or paper-thin lemon slices, or a little of the pretzel mix that you've held back. Enjoy!

whoizzit at 9:10AM on 06/30/08

From Talk

Cookout Dessert

A few days ago there was a recipe on her for ponchatoula strawberry cupcakes from the cookbook, Screen Doors and Sweet Tea that was made with fresh strawberries and a strawberry cream cheese frosting.....I just made them and they are delicious! I think they would make an excellent cookout summer-y dessert.

elderberry44 at 4:38PM on 06/26/08

From Talk

Cookout Dessert

I just made the Strawberry Cream Cake from the America's Test Kitchen website (registration required but the recipes are free). It was great -- very attractive and not hard to make. The icing is a variation on whipped cream, stabilized with cream cheese so it kept very well in the refrigerator. The cake was a snap to make, as was the strawberry filling. Tastes a lot like strawberry shortcake but looks a lot fancier.

kjgibson at 8:09PM on 06/25/08

From Talk

Cookout Dessert

Ahh, the brewery. The older guy working behind the counter is a trip! He had me cracking up. One of their Rums (the dark one) is award winning. I told the bartender I was a fan of rums-next thing you know I had a wide variety right in front of me to try. This was after I tried a variety of their limited edition beers. I recommend a stop for anyone going to the beach or passing thru.

Good things come out of Delaware!!

Butrflygirly at 7:28PM on 06/25/08

From Talk

Cookout Dessert

I think australian law dictates that anzac biscuits must be made with golden syrup. mmmm

Theyd also make a wonderful cookie for an ice cream sandwich!!

jennywenny at 6:55PM on 06/25/08

From Talk

Cookout Dessert

@bitchin-Dogfish Head makes rum, vodka & tequila!!!! Tried them all in a tasting flight they had while visiting their Rehobeth Beach brewery this year. As good as the beer-ok- maybe not- because I LOVE DFH beer. I yearn for the 90min IPA.

http://www.dogfish.com/spirits/

foodiemama at 3:12PM on 06/25/08

From Talk

Cookout Dessert

Dogfish Head makes rum?! I looooooove their beer, so I think I'll have to at least try the rum...if I can find it.

bitchincamero at 2:27PM on 06/25/08

From Required Eating

Unbelieveable! This Is Not Butter!

@lonewolf - I only buy LOL butter when it's on sale, but I buy Kroger butter regularly and haven't had a problem with it. I do notice a slightly fresher "creamery" flavor with LOL butter though.

Also, I read/heard somewhere (Alton Brown?) that salted butters vary widely in the amount of salt added, so you'd probably notice less difference in unsalted, and perhaps more in salted butter.

akk328 at 2:09PM on 04/23/08

From Talk

Ice cream cake - can you help me make it?

I have done it before with a regular white cake- I have a tall sided pan, line with foil, spray with cooking spray, make ganache, pour it in the pan, put cake, ice cream, cake, ice cream, pour ganache over and let pour down sides. Freeze. To unmold carefully run hot water over the outside and flip onto a plate. Peel off the foil. It will be pretty and already iced with the ganache from top and bottom!

Another idea: I usually do it with a brownie, but what about a blondie?

karenita at 10:07PM on 04/09/08

From Talk

Ice cream cake - can you help me make it?

You can also buy those ice cream bombe molds. Easy.....

Hunnyoil at 2:40PM on 04/09/08