Oh Ina.
I knew I loved you.
But then I try a recipe of yours like this Mocha Ice Box Cake and I love you even more than I ever thought I could. You just make it so. damn. good.
Take this cake for instance. Doesn’t it look lovely? And full of effort? Maybe even intimidating.
YOU GUYS. It’s so easy to (literally) whip together. It does takes a bit of premeditation as the cake needs to sit over night, but, it’s all worth it. If you are hosting Saturday you can whip this together during the day Friday, let it hang out all night, and bam. You are the most impressive hostess in town!
But you already knew that, didn’t you.
Happy Friday everyone! Make this cake – even if it’s only for yourself. (Which basically happened in my own home).
MOCHA ICEBOX CAKE
Recipe from the one and only Ina Garten
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups cold heavy cream
12 ounces Italian mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua (yes I included this and fed to my boys. It’s fine.)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 (8-ounce) packages chocolate chip cookies, use Tate’s Bake Shop as they are so good and easily available in stores!
Shaved semisweet chocolate, for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, mascarpone, sugar, coffee liqueur, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and vanilla. Mix on low speed to combine and then slowly raise the speed, until it forms firm peaks. This took about three to four minutes for me to come together.
To assemble the cake, arrange chocolate chip cookies flat in an 8-inch springform pan, covering the bottom as much as possible. (Break up some cookies to fill in the spaces.) Spread a fifth of the mocha whipped cream evenly over the cookies. Place another layer of cookies on top, lying flat and touching, followed by another fifth of the cream. Continue layering cookies and cream until there are 5 layers of each, ending with a layer of cream. Smooth the top, cover with plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate overnight.
Run a small sharp knife around the outside of the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the top with the chocolate, cut in wedges, and serve cold.