Giant Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwich
I created this treat for my husband, adding light and low-fat products to the cookie dough. It was so fantastic that I fixed it with conventional ingredients for guests. They actually shrieked in ecstasy! Since it can be made ahead of time and frozen, it cuts stress for busy hostesses…and really, who doesn’t love peanut butter?
I created this treat for my husband, adding light and low-fat products to the cookie dough. It was so fantastic that I fixed it with conventional ingredients for guests. They actually shrieked in ecstasy! Since it can be made ahead of time and frozen, it cuts stress for busy hostesses…and really, who doesn’t love peanut butter?
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 32 oz ready-to-bake refrigerated peanutbutter cupcookies
- 6 whole chocolate graham crackers crushed
- 1 cup cold milk
- 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 ounces)
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1-1/3 cups creamy peanut butter
- 3 cups vanilla ice cream softened
- 1/4 cup nutella
- Carbohydrate 26.9724458438971 g
- Cholesterol 50.6429836066667 mg
- Fat 30.0573318153023 g
- Fiber 2.25799999884764 g
- Protein 10.69787281322 g
- Saturated Fat 12.7183979841212 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (125g)
- Sodium 223.411393848414 mg
- Sugar 24.7144458450495 g
- Trans Fat 2.18622640934013 g
- Calories 407 calories
Step-by-step
- Let dough stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften. Press into two ungreased 9-in. springform pans; sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until set. Cool completely.
- In a large bowl, whisk the milk, cream and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. In another large bowl, beat cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Add pudding and ice cream; beat until smooth.
- Spread over one cookie crust. Remove sides of second pan; place crust, crumb side down, over filling. Cover and freeze for 4 hours or until firm.
- Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving. Place Nutella in a small microwave-safe bowl; cover and microwave at 50% power for 1-2 minutes or until smooth, stirring twice. Remove sides of pan; cut dessert into slices. Drizzle with Nutella.
Replacing ready-to-bake refrigerated cookie dough with a scratch-made shortbread base alters the structural integrity of this frozen dessert entirely. Commercial dough contains stabilizers and extra fats that help it hold shape under heavy fillings, whereas homemade dough often requires chilling for 30 minutes to prevent excessive spreading during baking at 350 degrees. Paying attention to these textural variables ensures the crust remains sturdy enough to support multiple layers of ice cream and pudding without dissolving into crumbs.
Whisking cold milk and heavy cream with instant pudding mix for two minutes initiates the starch activation needed for a stable filling. Softened cream cheese provides necessary acidity and structural rigidity, countering the oily nature of 1 and 1/3 cups of creamy peanut butter. Beating these elements until completely smooth prevents graininess from separating out during the four-hour freezing window.
Managing temperature transitions prevents structural collapse during assembly. Softening the vanilla ice cream just enough to blend smoothly into the peanut butter mixture avoids melting the pudding base. Allowing the assembled dessert to temper in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing makes it possible to cut clean portions without cracking the frozen crust.
Balancing Creaminess and Structure
Whisking cold milk and heavy cream with instant pudding mix for two minutes initiates the starch activation needed for a stable filling. Softened cream cheese provides necessary acidity and structural rigidity, countering the oily nature of 1 and 1/3 cups of creamy peanut butter. Beating these elements until completely smooth prevents graininess from separating out during the four-hour freezing window.
Execution and Thermal Control
Managing temperature transitions prevents structural collapse during assembly. Softening the vanilla ice cream just enough to blend smoothly into the peanut butter mixture avoids melting the pudding base. Allowing the assembled dessert to temper in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing makes it possible to cut clean portions without cracking the frozen crust.
