By Brayden is one hundred and eighty-five weeks old. Eden is forty-three weeks old. The Nutella crunch ice cream cake is a small kid-friendly ice-cream-cake with a Nutella-and-crunchy-rice-cereal middle layer.
The cake is layered — a small chocolate-cookie-crumb base, softened-chocolate-ice-cream, a Nutella-and-crunchy-rice-cereal middle layer, softened-vanilla-ice-cream, finished with whipped cream and chocolate-shavings. The cake freezes for at least four hours before serving.
Sunday I made the cake. Dustin had two slices. Brayden had a small piece.
Brayden has been the small enthusiastic-helper at the kitchen-counter on Sunday afternoons. He hands me ingredients. He stirs the small mixing bowl. He watches the small kitchen-process with the small intent-attention of the small kid-who-might-become-a-cook-someday. The small hereditary-pattern is in the small early-signs.
Eden has been the small attentive-baby-toddler. She watches her big-brother. She mimics the small ages-three-up-to-his behavior. The small younger-sibling shape is appearing in the small everyday-rhythm.
The catering-cookbook companion (the Pantry Rules companion) has continued to sell at its small steady pace. The two-cookbook online-store has become the small reliable-revenue-stream. The small third-cookbook is in the small mental-outline-stage but is not in active drafting.
Cody’s pop-up has continued to evolve. The small Tuesday-double-and-occasional-Wednesday rotation is now the small standard rhythm. The small annual revenue has crossed $100,000. Cody has been thinking about a small private-dining-room booking expansion using the small new expanded-space.
Nutella Crunch Ice Cream Cake
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes (includes freezing) | Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 2 cups chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup Nutella, divided
- 1 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1.5 quarts vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
- 1 quart chocolate ice cream, slightly softened
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Make the crust. Combine crushed chocolate wafer cookies and melted butter in a bowl and stir until evenly moistened. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Freeze for 15 minutes.
- Make the Nutella crunch layer. In a microwave-safe bowl, warm 1/4 cup of the Nutella for 20 seconds until slightly loose. Stir in the crispy rice cereal and chocolate chips until combined. Spread evenly over the frozen crust. Return to freezer for 15 minutes.
- Add the vanilla ice cream layer. Spread softened vanilla ice cream over the Nutella crunch layer in an even layer. Smooth the top with a spatula. Freeze for 1 hour.
- Add the chocolate ice cream layer. Spread softened chocolate ice cream over the vanilla layer, smoothing evenly to the edges. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
- Add the Nutella drizzle. About 10 minutes before serving, warm the remaining 1/4 cup Nutella in the microwave in 15-second intervals until pourable. Drizzle over the top of the frozen cake.
- Whip the cream. Beat heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar together with a hand mixer on medium-high until soft peaks form. Dollop or pipe around the edges of the cake.
- Serve. Run a thin knife around the edge of the springform pan before releasing. Garnish with toasted hazelnuts if desired. Slice and serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 480 | Protein: 7g | Fat: 26g | Carbs: 57g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 210mg