1 ¼ cups hazelnuts, toasted, hot
Filling
⅔ cup fresh lime juice
⅔ cup sugar
3 tablespoons finely grated lime peel
¼ teaspoon finely crushed cardamom seeds
2 quarts premium vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
3 pints assorted berry sorbets (such as strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry)
Sauce and Berries
⅓ cup water
¼ cup sugar
1 12-ounce package frozen unsweetened blackberries (do not thaw)
4 cups mixed fresh berries (such as blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries; about 20 ounces)
CRUST: Preheat oven to 375°F. Finely grind cookies, sugar, and salt in processor. Add hot butter and vanilla; blend until moist crumbs form. Add hot nuts; blend just until finely chopped. Press crust mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides to within ¼ inch of top edge. Freeze crust 15 minutes. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Freeze 30 minutes.
FILLING: Stir lime juice, sugar, and lime peel in large bowl until sugar dissolves and syrup forms. Pour ⅓ cup lime syrup into small bowl; mix in cardamom. Cover; chill until ready to serve. Mix ice cream into remaining lime syrup in large bowl. Spoon all but 2½ cups ice cream into crust; smooth top. Freeze torte and remaining ice cream separately until firm, about 2 hours.
Top torte with large scoops of ice cream, spacing apart and dipping ice cream scoop into hot water between scoops for easy release. Top with large scoops of sorbets, spacing apart. Using measuring spoons of various sizes dipped into hot water, scoop remaining sorbets; place among larger scoops on torte. Freeze 3 hours.
SAUCE AND BERRIES: Stir ⅓ cup water and sugar in medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add frozen berries. Increase heat; boil until berries are soft and liquid is slightly reduced, about 8 minutes. Puree mixture in processor. Strain through sieve set over bowl, pressing on solids. Discard solids in sieve. Cover; chill sauce until cold.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover torte; keep frozen. Keep lime syrup and berry sauce chilled.
Cut around pan sides to loosen crust. Remove pan sides. Tuck some fresh berries into spaces between ice cream and sorbet scoops. Mix remaining berries into berry sauce. Cut torte into wedges. Drizzle reserved lime syrup over wedges. Spoon berry mixture alongside.Technique Tip: Crushing SeedsTo crush the whole cardamom seeds, you can use a mortar and pestle, or place the seeds in a resealable plastic bag and tap them with a rolling pin.
This showstopping treat features layers of purchased chocolate and coffee ice cream and a homemade chocolate-coffee sauce. It can be made up to three days ahead, so it’s a great dessert for a party. 10 to 12 servings
Sauce
1½ cups water
½ cup sugar
2½ tablespoons instant espresso powder
12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
CrustNonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups shortbread cookie crumbs (about 10 ounces)
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
¼ teaspoon coconut extract
Pie
2 pints chocolate ice cream
1 cup shortbread cookie crumbs (about 5 ounces)
2 pints coffee ice cream
¾ cup chopped Almond Roca or Heath bars (about 5 ounces; or 14 Almond Roca or 12 miniature Heath bars)
SAUCE: Cook 1½ cups water, sugar, and espresso powder in heavy medium saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add chocolate and butter. Stir until chocolate and butter are melted and sauce is smooth. Cool completely.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.
CRUST: Spray 9-inch-diameter springform pan with nonstick spray. Blend cookie crumbs, melted butter, and coconut extract in processor until moist crumbs form. Press firmly into bottom of prepared pan. Freeze until firm.
PIE: Soften chocolate ice cream in refrigerator until spreadable but not melted. Spread on crust in pan and smooth top. Freeze until firm.
Spoon ½ cup chocolate-coffee sauce over ice cream and sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Freeze until firm.
Soften coffee ice cream in refrigerator until spreadable but not melted. Spread in pan and smooth top. Freeze until firm. Spread ½ cup sauce over coffee ice cream. Sprinkle with chopped Almond Roca and freeze until firm.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover tightly; keep frozen.
Soften cake slightly in refrigerator if necessary. Rewarm remaining sauce over low heat until lukewarm, stirring frequently. Run sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides from cake. Cut cake into wedges. Serve, passing warm mocha sauce separately.
This whimsical cake is a fun holiday dessert that kids and adults will love. While it’s perfect for Christmas, the type of ice cream and candies used can be changed to suit any celebration. The candy brittle—delicious on its own—can also be used to decorate any other type of cake. (When not frozen, the brittle will look best if it’s used the same day it’s made.) The brittle hardens quickly, so make swift work of applying the candies and be careful not to burn yourself on the hot sugar syrup. 12 servings
Cake
1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
1½ cups sugar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
6 tablespoons bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
¾ cup water
½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature
3½ quarts (about) peppermint stick ice cream, slightly softened
Brittle
1½ cups sugar
½ cup water
1½ tablespoons light corn syrup
1 to 2 cups assorted candies (such as sliced gummy candies, spice drops, Swedish mints, butter mints, rock candy pieces, and candy cane pieces)
Sauce
½ cup water
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
CAKE: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 15×10×1-inch baking sheet; line with parchment. Butter parchment. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips; stir until melted. Whisk in ¾ cup water, cocoa, and vanilla until blended. Whisk in egg. Add to flour mixture; whisk to blend. Pour batter onto prepared baking sheet.
Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 22 minutes. Cool cake on baking sheet on rack 15 minutes. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto sheet of foil; cool. Cut cake crosswise into 3 equal strips. Freeze cake strips 1 hour.