Frozen Butter Pecan Torte
Always a crowd pleaser at my house, this is a dessert I have been known to hide so I can eat it myself! It's basically Butter Pecan Ice Cream combined with pudding and whipped cream and then frozen. It is very easy to make and wise to keep on hand. Feel free to play around with the crust. I always add some toasted pecans to mine.
Always a crowd pleaser at my house, this is a dessert I have been known to hide so I can eat it myself! It's basically Butter Pecan Ice Cream combined with pudding and whipped cream and then frozen. It is very easy to make and wise to keep on hand. Feel free to play around with the crust. I always add some toasted pecans to mine.
- Carbohydrate 28.7034858333332 g
- Cholesterol 37.9737916666667 mg
- Fat 16.9112723611111 g
- Fiber 0.762222210354271 g
- Protein 2.06913374999999 g
- Saturated Fat 9.36202255555555 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (98g)
- Sodium 356.520444444444 mg
- Sugar 27.9412636229789 g
- Trans Fat 1.18038758333334 g
- Calories 271 calories
Step-by-step
- For the Crust: In a bowl combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Mix together. (I add very finely chopped toasted pecan to my crust.) Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9" springform pan. Chill.
- For the Filling: Combine the cold milk and pudding in a mixing bowl and beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Fold in the ice cream which has been softened some, and then add the whipped cream. Spread over the crust and top with crushed Heath bar. Freeze until firm. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the springform pan and remove the sides.
- Note: Those in Canada and some other countries may be using Skor candy bars instead of Heath.
Using melted butter that is actively hot rather than cooled to room temperature will prematurely melt the graham cracker crumbs and sugar structure, yielding a greasy, compacted base instead of a sandy, cohesive crust that easily supports a heavy filling. When combining the melted fat with 1 1/3 cups of fine crumbs, ensure the mixture feels like damp sand before pressing it firmly into a 9-inch springform pan with the flat bottom of a measuring cup. Chilling this base for 20 minutes solidifies the butterfat before the dairy-heavy filling is introduced.
Substitutions alter the physical behavior of frozen desserts significantly, particularly when swapping the 2/3 cup of cold milk for plant-based alternatives that lack sufficient milk proteins to set instant pudding mix properly. Almond or oat milk will result in a weeping, icy layer unless whisked with a stabilizing agent or substituted at a strict one-to-one ratio using full-fat canned coconut milk, which supplies the necessary fat globules to mimic heavy cream. Because commercial instant vanilla pudding relies on modified food starch that activates rapidly upon contact with liquid, beat the milk and mix on low speed for exactly two minutes to build a stable emulsion before folding in softened ice cream.
Freshly whipped heavy cream differs structurally from aerosol or stabilized commercial whipped toppings, introducing air pockets that lighten the dense profile of softened ice cream without collapsing under freezing temperatures. Allow the assembled dessert to firm up in the freezer for a minimum of four hours, then extract it 15 minutes prior to slicing so the butterfat relaxes enough for a knife to glide cleanly through the crushed Heath bar topping without cracking the frozen center.
