Mocha Skor Crunch Ice Cream Cake

Don't make this cake. It's awful.

Really. We hated it. Can't you tell from the picture?

What's to like about a chocolate cookie crust, filled with creamy coffee ice cream and chopped Skor bar and finished with a layer of thick, rich, chocolate ganache? Nothing, right? We thought so too. That's why we're OK if you just leave us here to eat the rest of it. We're happy to do you the favour.

In reality, this is one of the best things we've ever tasted AND one of the easiest desserts we've ever made, which we consider to be a  win-win situation! We didn't cut any corners either, by using a no-churn coffee ice cream for the center instead of going to the store and buying a carton of ice cream. That way, you can impress your friends when you say that you made the entire thing from scratch.

You start by making a simple cookie crust and then pressing it into a 9" springform pan. Then you completely skip the oven and get on to making your ice cream.

You make the coffee ice cream by whipping together heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, instant coffee, and vanilla. The addition of chopped Skor bars takes it over the top! Once you spoon the mixture into the crust, all you need to do is place it into the freezer to firm up to the consistency of ice cream. No need for an ice cream maker! 

Finally, the entire thing is finished with a thick layer of chocolate ganache and garnished with bite-sized coffee crisps. You could use any sort of candy or chocolate to finish it off though!

 This is a cake that makes a statement and is sure to impress a crowd. With some time put aside to account for freezing, you can easily whip this cake up with minimal ingredients and effort. You can also be creative! If you want to use a different type of candy in the ice cream, or buy the ice cream from the store, or decorate it differently- Go for it! That's the fun (and freedom) of making desserts at home!

Mocha Skor Crunch Ice Cream Cake

For the base:

3 cups chocolate cookie crumbs

1/3 cup whipping cream

2 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

For the coffee ice cream:

2 cups whipping cream

2 Tbsp. instant coffee (we used Maxwell House)

1 tsp. vanilla paste (or substitute vanilla extract)

1 300 ml can sweetened condensed milk

2 bars (100 g) Skor bar, roughly chopped

For the chocolate ganache:

4 squares (113 g) unsweetened chocolate

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

To Garnish: Bite-Sized Coffee Crisps, Whoppers, Chocolate- Covered Coffee beans, etc.

Instructions:

For the base:

1. In a medium bowl combine the cookie crumbs, 1/3 cup whipping cream, and 2 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk (Store the rest of the can in the fridge until you're ready to make the chocolate ganache). Mix well and then firmly press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9" springform pan. You don't need to worry about greasing or lining the pan with anything, the crust shouldn't stick to the sides of the pan.

For the coffee ice cream:

2. In a small bowl combine 2 tsp. warm water with the instant coffee and mix until dissolved.

3. In a large bowl whip the cream until stiff peaks appear. This could take up to 10 minutes depending on what kind of mixer you use. I used a handheld mixer and it definitely took closer to the 10 minute mark to get the consistency you're looking for.

4. Once you have stiff peaks, beat in your coffee and vanilla paste (or extract). Using a spatula fold in your sweetened condensed milk until full incorporated. Carefully, stir in your Skor bar until combined.

5. Spread into your prepared crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and then place in the freezer for 6 hours or, preferably, overnight.

For the ganache:

6. In the bowl of a double boiler add your chocolate and whipping cream. Melt over low heat until the chocolate has completely melted. Stir in 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk and mix until no streaks are left.

7. Take your cake out of the freezer and spread the ganache in a thin layer over the top, going all the way to the edges of the ice cream so that it touches the crust. Don't spread it over the crust though! Place your candies on top in whatever design you'd like.

8. Place back in the freezer for 15 minutes to let the ganache harden, then remove from the freezer, release the pan, and remove the sides. We found the cutting the cake with a serrated knife gave us the best results when you're ready to serve.

The cake will keep well in the freezer for up to 5 days.

Inspired by this recipe.