Hey there, holiday lovers!
Are you in the mood for something sweet and festive? I’ve got the perfect treat for you!
Today, I’m sharing my delicious Christmas peppermint ice cream cake.
It’s cool, creamy, and packed with that classic peppermint flavor.
Plus, it’s super easy to make and is sure to impress your family and friends at any holiday gathering.
Let’s dive into the festive fun!
| Preparation Time | 30-60 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 5-15 minutes |
| Total Time | 7-10 hours |
| Level of Difficulty | Medium |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/2 packages (9 ounces each) chocolate wafer cookies (around 61 cookies)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 7 cups high-quality vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
- 1 1/4 cups roughly crushed peppermint candies (approx. 10 ounces)
- 2 teaspoons peppermint flavoring
- Whole or broken peppermint candies for garnish
Step 1: Prepare the Chocolate Cookie Crust
In a heavy small saucepan, melt butter with chocolate over low heat, stirring until smooth.
While the chocolate cools slightly, finely grind cookies in a food processor.
Add the warm chocolate mixture to the cookie crumbs and blend just until the crumbs are moistened.
Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture in a small bowl.
Press the remaining crumb mixture onto the sides, then the bottom of a 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides.
Place the pan in the freezer to set.
Step 2: Make the Chocolate Glaze
In a heavy large saucepan, bring cream and corn syrup to a boil over medium heat.
Remove from heat and add chocolate, whisking until melted and smooth.
Allow the glaze to cool until it is still pourable but not hot, about 1 hour.
Step 3: Prepare and Assemble the Ice Cream Layers
Quickly mix ice cream, 1 1/4 cups of crushed candies, and peppermint extract in a large bowl until just blended.
Spoon half of the ice cream mixture into the frozen crust, spreading it evenly.
Place the remaining ice cream mixture back in the freezer.
Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of cookie crumbs over the ice cream layer in the pan and press gently.
Pour 1 cup of chocolate glaze over the ice cream layer.
Freeze for 1 hour to set.
Step 4: Add the Final Ice Cream Layer and Glaze
Remove the remaining ice cream mixture from the freezer and spread it evenly over the set layers in the pan.
Freeze until firm, about 4 hours at minimum.
Before serving, stir the remaining chocolate glaze over low heat just until pourable but not warm.
Pour the glaze over the frozen ice cream layers and spread evenly.
Freeze overnight for best results.
Step 5: Final Touches and Serve
Run a sharp knife between the crust and the sides of the springform pan to loosen the cake.
Release the sides of the pan and transfer the cake to a serving platter.
Garnish the cake with additional peppermint candies as desired.
Serve and enjoy your deliciously decadent ice cream cake!
