Mocha Brownie Ice Cream Cake

Every week should start out with ice cream, don’t ya think? Mandatory Ice Cream Mondays? Works for me.

Ice cream, although I’ve always been a huge fan, has become one of my most favorite things to eat while pregnant. And no, I don’t eat it with pickles (although, I love me some pickles, too). It’s been my dessert of choice these past several months, and as I approach the end of this pregnancy (less than 30 days to go!), I still can’t seem to get enough.

The love of ice cream runs deep in my family. There were many meals that ended simply with bowls of ice cream or sherbet (or both). It’s a no-fuss, crowd-pleasing sweet treat that perfectly wraps up any meal. My father fondly refers to eating ice cream as getting his “vitamin I.” He is completely obsessed with the stuff, too. The man buys ice cream by the gallons (and will call to inform you at any given moment when there is a sale and to which store you must go to “stock up”), and any time you stop over, he has at least five flavors to offer. He stockpiles them in a gigantic freezer in the garage. A few of his regulars include vanilla bean, mint chocolate chip, pistachio, chocolate, and coffee. Ya know, the classics. He’s not much for the cookies and cream or cookie dough varieties.

Me? I’ve never met an ice cream I didn’t like. Well, scratch that. I hate (and I mean HATE) nuts in my ice cream. Rocky road is not a fav of mine. And while I love pistachio ice cream, it had better be the green, completely smooth kind. No actual nuts for me. Other than that, though, I don’t discriminate when it comes to ice cream. It’s just the best.

This ice cream cake was sort of a natural development for me, I think. I’ve always adored coffee ice cream, even as a kid, and I also have never met a brownie I didn’t like (the same nuts rule applies to brownies, though, Nuts do not belong in brownies or cookies. Sorry, guys). Coffee and chocolate belong together. Ice cream and brownies belong together. And that is how this concoction was born into this world.

I start with a fudgy, super-rich mocha brownie layer. I top that with a thick layer of fudge sauce (which gets delightfully chewy and gooey after freezing). Then comes two kinds of ice cream (vanilla bean and coffee for me – but you could do any combo you like!), softened slightly and then layered on top of the fudge. Finally, I top off the entire thing with more fudge sauce, some salted caramel, and chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans. Boom!

It is, hands down, one of the best desserts I’ve ever created (I know I’ve said this before…but this one is the current contender to beat). And I don’t think those are my pregnant tendencies talking. My husband lost his marbles over this ice cream cake. We devoured it over the course of a week, each having a “healthy” slice each night while rewatching some of our favorite TV shows (I already mentioned the second marathoning of House of Cards last week). It’s the best of all worlds: brownies and ice cream, coffee and chocolate, and an ice cream sundae all in one.

So, go on, make your Monday a little better with this super awesome treat. You need your vitamin I, after all.

 

 

Mocha Brownie Ice Cream Cake                     (makes 8 servings)

For the Brownie Layer:

1 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso powder

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon fine salt

½ cup bittersweet chocolate chunks or chips

 

For the Fudge Layer:

⅔ cup heavy cream

½ cup light corn syrup

⅓ cup dark brown sugar

¼ cup cocoa powder

½ teaspoon fine salt

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped, divided in half

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

For the Ice Cream Layers:

3 cups vanilla bean ice cream, softened

3 cups coffee ice cream, softened

 

Optional Toppings:

Additional hot fudge

Salted caramel sauce

Chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans

 

For the Brownie Layer:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. In a double boiler, melt the butter and two kinds of chocolate together until smooth. Whisk in the sugar and instant coffee and allow to dissolve completely. Remove mixture from heat and allow to cool slightly.

2. Mix in the eggs and vanilla, whisking until mixture is smooth.

3. Place the bittersweet chocolate chunks in fine mesh sieve and place over the bowl with the chocolate mixture. Add the flour and sift through the sieve, coating the chocolate chunks with flour simultaneously. Fold the flour and the salt into the chocolate mixture until smooth. Fold in flour-coated chocolate chunks.

4. Pour batter into a buttered and floured springform pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the mixture is set. It should still be slightly underdone in the middle to ensure a fudgy texture. Allow to cool completely and then transfer to the fridge to chill.

For the Fudge Layer:

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream, syrup, brown sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and half of the chocolate to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low or low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining chocolate, butter, and vanilla extract, stirring until smooth. Cool for at least 20 minutes before using (it will thicken as it cools).

3. Pour half of the fudge sauce over the chilled brownie, spread in an even layer, and return to the fridge to set up for at least an hour.

For the Ice Cream Layers:

1. Scoop the softened vanilla ice cream onto the fudge layer and smooth out until even. Place in the freezer for at least 1 hour or until firm.

2. Scoop the softened coffee ice cream onto the vanilla ice cream layer and smooth out until even. Drizzle the top with some warmed fudge sauce, warmed caramel sauce, and chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans. Return the cake to the freezer, covered with plastic wrap, and freeze until set, at least 4 hours.

To Serve:

Remove the cake from the freezer about 10 minutes before you are ready to serve it. Run a warm cloth around the edges of the springfrom pan to help release the cake from the pan. Remove the sides of the pan and carefully slice the cake using a sharp knife dipped in hot water. Serve immediately.

 

Hot fudge recipe adapted from here.