Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Sweet July: Icebox Dreams

Icebox Cookie Creams
There was a little switch-a-roo with the recipe in the *Girl From Scratch kitchen this week. I normally like to make a plan and stick to it, so changing my post last minute was out of character. I have my next few months of blog recipes mapped out... can you say, "Type-A"? Changing course was a last-minute risk for me, but I am absolutely thrilled with the results. Sometimes shelving your plans, courageously pulling up your boot straps (or tightening your apron strings) and doing something spontaneous can be a great success. This is a lesson in life and recipes (cue cheesy music).


Martha Stewart Living
This is the second week of our theme month, Sweet July: An Exploration in Four-Ingredient Desserts. Last week we enjoyed a divine four-ingredient strawberry shortcake and today's recipe was supposed to be a cake. And it was supposed to look like this beautiful cake (see right) from last month's Martha Stewart Living. Not only is the presentation breath-taking, but it requires just four ingredients!


Flash forward to the middle of the week: I am trying to make all the cookies that the recipe called for (a whopping eight dozen) and balance auditions, work, and time with Mr. *From Scratch. Eight dozen cookies is a lot of cookies to bake. Then there was Mr. *From Scratch sneaking in the kitchen every few minutes to "help eat the ugly ones." Needless to say, the 96 cookies never got made. Or maybe I should say 96 cookies never survived... But there still was a whole boat-load of cookies and an upcoming party to plan. I hadn't given up on the concept of this dessert and then it dawned on me to use all the same ingredients, just make it a different form.



Voila! The Icebox Cookie Cream was born. Not only is the combination of chocolate, mascarpone cheese, and whipped cream decadently delicious, these little dessert "sammies" are way more portable and easy for your guests to nibble on.
Icebox Cookie Creams
Cast of Characters: Sugar, whipping cream, cookie dough, mascarpone cheese.
Bake cookies. You are more then welcome to make the dough from scratch!
Steal cookie and eat it.
Add whipping cream to chilled mixing bowl.
Add mascarpone cheese to mixing bowl.
Add sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.
Add whipped cream mixture to cookie and then top with another cookie.
Chill those beautiful cookie creams over-night and enjoy!
Nail Color: OPI-Gargantuan Green Grape
Actual Recipe: Martha Stewart's Chocolate Chip Icebox Cake

There are a bunch of additions and options for this recipe. I think rainbow M&M cookies would be fun to use for a birthday party, or lemon-poppy cookies for a ladies baby shower, or even a dense almond cookie for a festive brunch. Don't forget about the filling: wouldn't mashed raspberries, Kahlua, or even instant coffee grounds be a great way to add another level of flavor? What are some of your ideas?

7 comments:

  1. I admit it, I ate ALL the filling and not much of the cookie...but ONLY cause I'm more of a ginger snap or sugar cookie kinda girl...but the filling was TO DIE FOR!!! I woulda ate it straight from the bowl, the ENTIRE thing! I LOVE the idea of trying other kinds of cookies in this dessert and being a friend of GFS :)

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  2. Uh, yum! We just started a diet...frig...can't have any dairy or sugar for the first 10 days. But I'll be sure to try some combinations for a party coming up soon. Hae Sung, how about ginger snaps with a honey flavored filling? I'm thinking of some way to make the filling citrusy...maybe with zest? A chocolate orange combo would be good.

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  3. @Hae Sung-I have an ENTIRE bowl of the filling in my fridge, I keep putting spoonfuls on my coffee.

    @Mrs. Thornton-Good luck with your diet:-) Love your idea for the ginger/honey combo. For a citrus-y filling I saw one recipe that used minced candied lemon. I think lemon zest is the winner though. Or maybe lemon curd?

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  4. Yum! These look delish! Perfect treat for this super hot summer week! Thanks for sharing.

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  5. These sound so good, I love the addition of mascarpone cheese! Thanks for stopping by my blog, so glad it brought me to yours!

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  6. Thanks @Cassie! Loved finding Bake Your Day blog this weekend. Keep up the great work and thanks for reading!

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