Caramel Apple Ice Cream Pie

In my shoebox of a New York City apartment, I rarely have the opportunity to entertain.  Last week, though, my college friend Ashleigh, who currently resides in our nation's capital gave me a call to let me know she would be in town just in time for her birthday!  I jumped at the chance to offer to host a dinner and include our mutual friends in Brooklyn.  More importantly, I was thrilled to have a good reason to craft a new concoction (not more important than your birthday, though Ash!!)

As a birthday request, she had asked for one of my homemade ice creams - something in a seasonal flavor like pumpkin or gingersnap.  I promised to come up with something creative and hoped for a little inspiration.  Luckily, I found it in the form of freshly picked apples at the local grocer.  The light bulb practically beat me over my head when it brought to mind a traditional Halloween favorite - the caramel apple.

I thought the flavor combo would lend itself beautifully in ice cream form as the conclusion of a bountiful fall feast, but being that it was a birthday, I wanted to present something a little more cake-like.  I tossed around the idea of layering the frozen dessert on top of a standard yellow Betty Crocker-type cake, but I thought it would be even more autumnal if I crossed the creamy caramel apple goodness with the idea of a classic apple pie.  And that is how Caramel Apple Ice Cream Pie was born.  I knew I could even stick a few candles in it for the celebration!

The recipe consists of four main components - cinnamon apple ice cream, caramel, pie crust, and whipped topping.

My first step was to make the caramel.  I wanted to give the final product a chance to chill out while I conjured up the other components so that it would be cool enough to add to the ice cream when the time came.  I based my recipe on one from my ice cream bible - a Salted Butter Caramel Sauce from the book The Perfect Scoop by David Lebowitz.

Please see bottom for the ingredients and recipe.

I knew I didn't want to use the entire recipe, as the yield was about a cup and a half, and let's be real - if it's in the house, I'm going to eat it.  With a spoon.  With my fingers.  With my nose buried directly into the jar.  I figured about half would work with little left over to prompt the inevitable sugar-high-slash-belly-ache.

In the interest of making it my own, I took the liberty of making a few modifications.  Most importantly, I added a bit more salt.  I really wanted a pop against the ice cream canvas, and while Mr. Lebowitz's version is perfectly subtle and delicious, I was looking for more of a slap in the face salt character.

The result is creamy, almost butterscotchy sweetness with a strong punch of salt that emphasizes the sugary staple.  I drained the sauce into a jam jar and set it aside to cool. If you're feeling snacky while you assemble (as I, of course, was) feel free to dip a wedge of sliced apple into the golden liquid while you work!  It's a caramel-coated piece of heaven.

The next step was to cook the apples.  You can use just about any apple you prefer for this recipe; I stuck with Granny Smith because I enjoy the juxtaposition of tart and sweet.  I began with one full apple, peeled and cubed, and about a tablespoon each of butter and sugar.  The ice cream recipe was to yield one quart, so you can decide how much of the mix-in you'd like.  I found the amount to be adequate, but if you like a heartier apple-ice-cream ratio, go ahead and cube up another.

The process actually begins much like the caramel.  Melt the butter over medium heat and add the sugar, stirring until it has dissolved.  At that point, toss in the apples.  It's VERY important that you stir continuously, and keep an eye on the heat.  If your stove is approximately 10,000 years old like mine, the low and high settings may be dangerously close to the same.  Most folks will not find burnt sugar apples to be particularly delicious in an ice cream pie.

I wound up having to toss out a few cubes, but overall achieved a nice, browned and evenly cooked batch.  You want them to be fairly soft; if they're undercooked they can become frozen, icy, and tough to eat in the ice cream.  I would say your apples are cooked when they resemble the consistency of soggy steak fries (though that's much more desirable in this case!).

Once the apples are cooked, stir in your cinnamon - about 1 tablespoon per apple (more or less, depending on your desire or disdain for the spice), and set them aside.  I spread mine on a plate evenly and stuck them in the fridge to cool while I made the ice cream base.  If the apples are too hot when they go in, they'll melt your ice cream, which will cause an accumulation of ice crystals surrounding each apple piece when the mixture sets.

Ok, so you have caramel and apples set aside to cool.  Those ingredients are the heart of your dessert - now you need the soul.  The ice cream base I used is another "based-upon" recipe.  I didn't have the time in this particular scenario to make a from-scratch custard (tempering eggs and such), so I leaned on a little Ben & Jerry's number that goes something like this - eggs, cream, milk, and sugar.  It's so simple and delicious, it's almost not fair.

Again, to add a little flair, and also just because I like it like that, I made a few mods.  Firstly, this recipe is (believe it or not), a bit sweet and creamy for my liking.  Paired with the sweet caramel and caramelized apples, I decided it might be a bit much.  I cut down the heavy cream from 2/3 the liquid to 1/2 and made the milk component equal using skim milk.  Yes, I realize this sounds sacrilegious.  I did it for two reasons.  Number one, it was simply the only milk I had in the house.  Number two, I wanted to lighten the dessert a bit on the palate, and I knew we'd be eating it that night.  For ice creams that you want to hold on to for a week or so, I would not recommend using skim; it crystalizes much faster and does not keep well.

My other modification for this particular ice cream was to add about a tablespoon and a half of cinnamon (again - feel free to go light or heavy on this ingredient), and a splash of vanilla extract.  From there, it goes into your ice cream maker to freeze according to its individual instructions.

While I was hard at work on on various components, I had another one of them safely and easily stowed in the oven.  I cheated a bit and bought frozen grocery store pie crusts; following the directions, I simply baked one up while I was whipping up the filling.  At this point I grabbed it out of the oven and left it near a window to cool.

While the ice cream is churning away in the machine and I am doing absolute my best not to eat all of the caramel sauce, I grabbed the apples out of the fridge.  Ah, they're perfectly cool and ready for the big show.  Toward the end of the churn cycle (adding them too early can cause them to sink and collect at the bottom of the mixture), I carefully added the apples.  Invariably, they become a bit of a clump while they're being cooked, so I do my best to separate them at this point, adding only one or two cubes at a time and letting them disperse throughout.

When the ice cream was complete, I use a rubber spatula to grab all of the ice creamy goodness out of the freezer bowl and into the pie crust.

Drizzle a bit of the caramel halfway through the ice cream layer for a swirl effect.

About halfway through, I stopped to drizzle caramel over the first layer so that it can be found laced throughout the pie, and then spoon the rest on top.  I then let the pie set in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours.

I went for a walk.  I listened to a few records.  I sat in wait, anxiously tapping my foot and chastising myself for opening the freezer just to get a glimpse!!  Finally, it was time.  I grabbed the pie and a trusty tub of Cool Whip (the "cheat code" for any dessert - but feel free to make your own whipped cream), and slathered the pie in the stuff.

The finishing touch is the caramel.  It had come up to room temp at this point so I nuked it for about ten seconds to get the desired viscosity.  Using a soup spoon, I simply drizzled the remaining caramel over the top of the pie in a lattice pattern.  Feel free to get creative on the decoration, if you're more artistically inclined.

I know this all sounds like a lot of work, but let me tell you what - it was worth every moment.  The sweet and spiciness of the ice cream, the tart Granny Smiths, the salty, buttery caramel and the textural addition of the apples and flaky pie crust made for a truly unique and totally satisfying fall frozen treat!

The birthday girl was a very big fan, and we all ate far more than we should have :)

Glamour Shots of the Pie

Two of my favorite things! Well, 3 if you count the Oreos...

Let's see if I can accurately express how much I love my birthday.  Yes, I know what you're thinking - everyone loves their birthday!  Sure, I guess.  But when mine comes around, I commandeer the entire month of October.  I rename the thirty-one day block to "Steftober" and invite everyone to celebrate daily.  Do I take it too far?  Probably.  Does "obsession" come to mind when friends refer to my DOB?  Yes, absolutely.  But why limit such a momentous occasion to one day?

My second favorite is a little more widely enjoyed by a broader audience.   They are the finishing touch we all love to add to just about any dessert.  They top even the icing on the cake.  Or they can simply be found snugly adorning the fringes of an ice cream swirl.   Yep, we're talkin' 'bout sprinkles.

These colorful confections don't just look lovely as a topping, they also add a taste and textural pop to their host snack that is just delightful.  To me, there are few things as wonderful both visually and gastronomically as a coating of rainbow sprinkles tightly wrapped around a vanilla cone.

If I ever become the kind of rich that affords me the opportunity to be excused as an eccentric coot, I promise you that I will fill a swimming pool with rainbow sprinkles and take daily dips - Scrooge McDuck-style.

So, I know you're thinking the obvious now - birthday cake with rainbow sprinkles is probably on my list of favorite things.  You're correct.  But as it turns out - I'm not alone!!

My mind was blown just a little bit last week when my mother, in honor of Steftober, handed me a package of Birthday Cake Oreos.  WHAT?! you say?  BIRTHDAY CAKE OREOS, I repeat - louder and with more oomph this time.  Look, I knew O-R-E-O was into innovation for seasonal snacking (colored creme for current holidays is a long-standing tradition), but I had no idea it could house this kind of party inside.  As it turns out, 2012 marks the 100th year of the creme-filled chocolate biscuit.

So here's what you get - the traditional Oreo chocolate wafers on the outside (adorned with one big birthday candle instead of the classic wreath design), and on the inside - birthday cake flavored creme with rainbow sprinkles.  Oh, be still my sprinkle-loving birthday-obsessed heart.  It's as if Nabisco knew that I'd be celebrating, too!

They are as delicious as the original, if just a tad sweeter due to the vanilla frosting-like filling.  The sprinkles really bring the party to life with bright splashes of pinks and greens and yellows and blues against the white creme canvas that we all know and love.

I may even forgo the traditional glass of milk with this cookie in favor of a flute of Champagne.  Happy 100th to Oreo, and happy Steftober to me!!

A little something...

As a child, I had an obsession with all things miniature. I would beg my parents to take me to the craft store so I could find furniture for dollhouses (even though I possessed no such thing) and I always wanted to keep those little cocktail swords and umbrellas when they came as the decor in my parents' drinks.

What was the fascination? Well, my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action figures could always use new furnishings for their sewer (Bebop & Rocksteady in particular were accessory prima donnas).

But I digress. The point is, I still find myself drawn to diminutive things - maybe 'cause they're cute. Or maybe because I'm short. Either way, that's why I initially found these Hostess 100 Calorie Packs so delightful.

They're itty-bitty-teeny-tiny-little snack cakes that come in a variety of flavors. I've had the pleasure of sampling the Cinnamon Coffee Cake (a perfect compliment to your morning cup) and the Chocolate Cake. The latter is basically just a scaled down version of the classic Hostess cupcake without the whimsical signature swirl pattern adorning its top. Don't be alarmed - it's just as delicious!

They also come in strawberry and lemon flavors, and even Twinkie's gotten in on the tiny cake game.  Seriously, Hostess?!? How am I supposed to eat all of - OH, wait - I can, 'cause they're bite sized.  Cue the "chomp" sound effect.

Barely bigger than a golf ball but in a conveniently portion controlled package of three, these baby cakes still sate my snack craving. Like any American, I am always excited when I get more of anything, so this is a happiness hat trick for me.

Just look - LOOK at the these things!  It's a tiny trinity of tastiness.  I guess great things come in three small cream-filled packages.

Seriously, these cakes are the 1st, 2nd and 3rd best moments of my day.  Hostess, feel free to hire me to create the next ad campaign for these.  I'd volunteer to be your mascot.  Just post me up next to that handsome Twinkie in the cowboy hat and I'll be one happy Hostess buckaroo.  Now excuse me while I rip into a package and enjoy my new favorite miniature mouthfuls...I think even Michelangelo would appreciate these.

In Pursuit of Pumpkin

Ah, the changing seasons. The summer sun has set for the final time, and before the bitter cold lays into us, we have a few months (or if you're in the northeast, a few minutes) to enjoy the fall foliage, the crisp autumn air, and the perennial appearance by all things pumpkin. The reintroduction of this nostalgic flavor and the robust spice profile with which it's associated make for some seriously irresistible snacking.

October in particular is my favorite fall month. It's not just because of my birthday (that'd be October 24th - mark your calendars), but also because it's the official kickoff of a season that provides me with a glut of gourd-inspired goodies. I defy anyone to taste or have tasted as many pumpkin flavored, shaped, and associated treats as I have. It's a personal goal every autumn to stalk down all of these squashy snacks.

That, my friends, is why I've been desperately seeking Little Debbie Pumpkin Delights.

Now, my extensive snack research rarely allows for something this delicious looking to slip through the cracks, but these babies have thus far escaped me somehow.

When I finally did notice them in the very handy "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" section on Amazon.com (I believe I was purchasing Jell-O Pumpkin Pudding - don't worry, we'll come back to that), I practically cried out with joy. Had it been real life, I would have jump shotted those puppies into a shopping cart from a half court distance.

In a cruel twist of fate, however, all eight of these "filled soft cookies" were ripped from my eagerly outstretched hands before I could even lay eyes on the box. Because of the seasonality of the snacks, the seller had run out of stock sometime between when I clicked "purchase" and when he went to fill my fall order.

I've scoured the internet and the snack aisles of oh-so-many grocery stores since, hoping to plug this pumpkin shaped void in my heart, but to no avail. It's a difficult thing for me not to be able to sample every pumpkin offering under the autumn sun, but such is the frustratingly finite nature of the seasonal snack.

I suppose I will have to wait until next year. But if anyone, anywhere has information on the whereabouts of this item, I'm not opposed to sharing the stash. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy a plethora of other pumpkin treats, like this pudding. It is duh-licious.