Friday, October 11, 2013

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake with Peanut Butter Ice Cream


I have been trying to read more "fun" books lately to try and take my mind off of all of the work of real life.  Sometimes the fun books are completely different than my life and other times they hit closer to home than I might have originally started out thinking.  The most recent book had a quote that I knew immediately I wanted to share because it really clicked with me...

"Interesting how garbled and confusing the past becomes under the anesthesia of time.  You try to count the years and make come sense of them, but almost immediately they blur and become one bit thing.  The past."  
                                            -Beth Harrison(Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave him the Wrong Finger)

I have this feeling often, because I hate to admit that I totally still ponder about things in the past.  Not that I regret them, but there are still times I wonder how something went in the direction it did at the time.  There are still moments where I can't help but wonder...Why?  I know they will all blur as I move into the future and live in the present moment; like how I sometimes forget I have made and shared some of the recipes I have here on this blog. Some days I think I am having a new and interesting idea for something to bake, and then I realize...oh wait...no I have made that before.  

This one is definitely different new though, as the birthday boy I made it for came up with a list of potential things I could make, but his one request was to make it on here.  So...this is for you Adam.  Thanks for all of the ideas and taking my combination of two of them.  I hope you thoroughly enjoyed your birthday dessert!  

This cake really did turn out super rich but delicious!  I never thought I would actually enjoy peanut butter ice cream, but the peanut butter frosting in this ice cream and how creamy it turned out, made it seriously delicious!  The cookies although a bit hard to cut through, are totally worth the effort...plus whats better than a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie with ice cream.  Enjoy!  


Peanut butter, ice cream, sugar...


A little straining...


A little more.


Ready for the refrigerator and then into the ice cream maker.


Time for the cookies...lots of chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.


Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cookie Cake:
For the Ice Cream: (recipe for ice cream base from Brown Eyed Baker)
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups heavy cream, divided
Pinch of salt
6 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Peanut Butter Frosting Swirl:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/6 cup heavy cream

For the cookies:
1/2 pound unsalted butter(2 sticks), at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks
1 cup peanut butter chips

1.  Warm the milk, sugar, peanut butter, 1 cup of the heavy cream and the salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved and the peanut butter has melted. Continue cooking until the mixture comes to a slight simmer, bubbling around the edges of the pan.

2.  Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1 cup heavy cream into a large bowl and place a fine-mesh sieve on top. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly pour the warmed milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Scrape the mixture back into the saucepan.

3.  Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly with a rubber spatula, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spatula, a few minutes. The mixture should register 170 to 175 degrees F on an instant-read digital thermometer.

4.  Pour the custard through the fine-mesh sieve and stir it into the cream. Stir in the vanilla extract and place the bowl over an ice bath. Stir occasionally, until the mixture is cool. Cover and transfer the custard to the refrigerator until completely chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight.

5.  Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.  While your ice cream is freezing, prepare the frosting.  Using an electric mixer, whisk together the butter and peanut butter.  Then mix in the powdered sugar one cup at a time with the heavy cream., vanilla extract and salt.  Set aside once frosting has come together.

6.  As you remove the ice cream to a freezer-safe container, drop dollops of the peanut butter frosting over each layer of ice cream. Once all of the ice cream and peanut butter frosting has been placed in the container, use a butter knife to gently swirl the mixture. Store the ice cream in the freezer.

7.  Then make the cookies.  Prepare two 9 inch round cake pans by lining them with parchment paper on the bottom.  Then lightly spray the side with non-stick cooking spray.

8.  In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer or whisk, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Then mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until well combined.  

9.  Next in a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Then whisk the dry ingredients into the wet until well combined.  Fold the semi-sweet and peanut butter chips into to cookie dough.  Then divide the dough between the pans and bake for 20-25 minutes or until set in the middle and golden brown.  Let the cookies cool completely in the pan.  

10.  Remove the cookies from the pan.  If a lip has formed around the cookies, carefully cut off and place on desired serving plate that will fit into the freezer if not serving immediately. Then fit the ring of a spring form around the bottom cookie.  Next spread the ice cream evenly over the bottom cookie, and place the last cookie on top.  Serve immediately or place into the freezer.  If you are re-freezing, take the cookie cake out of the freezer 15 minutes before serving.  Cut with a strong sturdy knife that has been warmed by wrapping a hot towel around the knife for a few minutes.  Serve and Enjoy!

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