4th of July
Ingredients (9)
For the crust:
- 30 chocolate cookie wafers, such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted and cooled
For the ganache:
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
To assemble:
- 1 quart Espresso Gelato (see Game Plan note) or coffee ice cream
To serve:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mud pie—not to be confused with Mississippi mud pie, which is a chocolate pie—needs only a chocolate cookie crust, coffee ice cream, and fudge sauce, according to its creator, Joanna Droeger. Here we’ve stayed true to the original with an intense espresso gelato and chocolate ganache, but added a little sweetened whipped cream on top. This easy-to-make pie can be assembled in advance for parties. Note: Unless you want your kids jumping off the walls, we recommend not serving this caffeinated treat to the little ones.
Game plan: Make sure you have enough room in your freezer before you begin. You’ll need a flat area at least 10 by 10 inches to accommodate the pie comfortably.
You’ll need to make the Espresso Gelato before you begin.
To slice the frozen pie, warm a sharp knife in hot water for about 30 seconds, then use a kitchen or paper towel to dry the knife. Slice the pie while the knife is still warm, pushing the knife down into the pie and slowly removing it. Clean the knife off and repeat warming, drying, slicing, and cleaning with each cut. If the pie is still too frozen to easily slice, let it sit for another 5 minutes.
This recipe was featured as part of our Make Your Own Ice Cream Treats project.
For more DIY desserts, see our How to Make Pudding video.
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
- 2Place cookies in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until the pieces are about the size of peas. Stop the motor, add the melted butter, and continue to process until the crumbs are fine, about the size of coarsely ground coffee (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). Alternatively, place the cookies in a resealable plastic bag, press out the air, and seal. Using a rolling pin, smash into fine crumbs until uniform. Transfer to a medium bowl, add melted butter, and mix until evenly combined.
- 3Pour crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate and, using the bottom of a cup or your fingers, press firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides. Bake until fragrant, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
For the ganache:
- 1Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl; set aside.
- 2Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Pour over chocolate and let stand until chocolate has softened, about 5 minutes.
- 3Add butter and stir until smooth. Let cool slightly before using.
To assemble:
- 1Place gelato in the refrigerator until slightly softened, about 30 minutes. Place cookie crust in the freezer until chilled, about 30 minutes.
- 2Remove softened gelato from the container and transfer to a large bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until it is spreadable but not liquidy. Working quickly, spread the softened gelato into the crust in an even layer (leaving any melted gelato in the bowl). If the gelato in the pie looks like it’s melting, place the pie in the freezer until solid before proceeding.
- 3Pour the warm ganache over the gelato and tilt the pie plate to evenly coat. Immediately transfer the pie to a flat surface in the freezer until completely frozen, at least 3 hours.
To serve:
- 1Let the pie sit at room temperature until the ganache just begins to soften, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine cream, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until soft peaks have formed (they should droop over like soft-serve ice cream), about 3 minutes; serve atop pie slices. If not serving immediately, tightly wrap the frozen pie in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 1 week.
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