About This Recipe
It’s National Ice Cream Day! That means you have to eat ice cream. It’s not voluntary; you must do this for the good of the country. That’s why this Fudgy Peppermint Bonbon Ice Cream Dessert, the perfect frozen dessert, is needed today.
There was some confusion about this date, since the International Dairy Foods Association didn’t update their page about this celebration from last year, so they said the day was July 21. But it’s the third Sunday of every July which, because of Leap Year, is July 19 in 2020.
One of my earlier memories about ice cream (and I have many) is going to Bridgeman’s Ice Cream Parlor. I am not quite sure, but I think they were the originator of the Peppermint Bonbon ice cream flavor that seems to be unique to the upper Midwest.
When I was about 10 years old, the dad of one of my friends took us to Bridgeman’s to get cones. He had us go in one at a time and buy each cone individually so he didn’t have to pay sales tax, which kicked in when you spent a certain amount. Even then I thought that was kind of cheap.
At any rate, this flavor is known around the world as Mint Chip Ice Cream. But that is just wrong. The only, ONLY name for this ice cream is Peppermint Bonbon. A green mint ice cream is swirled with little bits of dark chocolate. It’s heaven in a cone, but in this dessert it’s even better.
For the crust, I prefer to use Oreos with the chocolate filling, but you can certainly use the white filling type if you prefer. The crust is the perfect complement to the creamy ice cream, which is “lightened” (if you can call it that) with whipped cream and swirled with rich soft fudge.
You could certainly serve this recipe at a birthday party. It’s better than ice cream cones! And you won’t have to pay sales tax.
Tips for beat results:
- Make sure the ice cream is slightly softened, but not melted. When ice cream melts the texture changes and it’s not a good change: it will be icy and stiff.
- Fold the whipped cream into the ice cream just until combined. Don’t overwork this mixture.
- Let the dessert stand for 10 minutes out of the freezer so it’s easier to slice. But serve it immediately.
Why this recipe works:
- The simplest way to make a frozen dessert is just to put ice cream on any kind of sweetened crumb crust.
- The whipped cream folded into the ice cream helps soften it and adds some volume and fluffiness. You can skip this step if you’d like.
- Make sure to use a really good brand of hot fudge sauce and ice cream, since both are so integral to the recipe.
- Let the dessert stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving it so it softens slightly.
Steps
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1
Done
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Combine the crushed cookies with the melted butter in a large bowl. Press into the bottom of a 13" x 9" glass baking dish and set aside. |
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2
Done
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Soften the ice cream by leaving it on the counter for about 20 minutes. Scoop the ice cream into a large bowl. |
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3
Done
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In a medium bowl, beat the cream with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold into the ice cream, and spoon onto the crust. |
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4
Done
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Drop the fudge topping onto the ice cream mixture by spoonfuls and swirl together. Then press down on the ice cream until it's even. |
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5
Done
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Cover and freeze until firm. To serve, let the dessert stand at room temperature for 10 minutes, then cut into squares. |
