Peppermint Crunch Oreo Ice Cream Cake

1 package (about 14 ounces) chocolate sandwich cookies, moderately crushed* (gluten-free if desired...we do gluten around here, so I used reduced-fat Oreos)

3 tablespoon butter, melted

1.5 quarts vanilla ice cream

1 cup moderately crushed* peppermint candies (candy canes, or those round candies in cellophane wrappers some restaurants have sitting around, etc.)

8 ounces whipped topping, thawed, OR 3 cups prepared sweetened whipped cream (if you really want to power up your peppermint here, use peppermint Cool Whip when seasonally available)

hot fudge or chocolate sauce, for serving

(*By "moderately" crushed, I mean medium crumbs with a few large pieces and some fine "dust" in the mix.)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Round up a 9" springform pan or a 9" cake pan (the higher the sides, the better). Dump 1 1/2 cups of your cookie crumbs into the bottom of the pan and drizzle them with the melted butter. Use a fork to toss the butter and crumbs together. Press this addictive mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 6 minutes. No, it is not okay to round up to 10 here unless you want Oreo asphalt instead of a cookie crust. Remove from oven and set on a wire rack to cool completely. You can rush this process by putting the crust in the refrigerator if necessary. You cannot rush this process by not cooling the crust and proceeding with the recipe anyway.

Once your crust is cooled, scoop the ice cream into a large bowl. Add in 1/2 cup of your crushed peppermint candies and mix them in with an electric mixer or a sturdy spoon and some muscle power. Sprinkle an additional 1/4 cup crushed candies over the surface of your ice cream mixture and fold in gently. Reserve the remaining 1/4 cup crushed peppermints for decoration when you serve this masterpiece.

Spread 1/2 of your ice cream mixture evenly onto your prepared, cooled crust. Dollop on 1 1/2 cups of your whipped topping or whipped cream and spread evenly. Sprinkle 1/2 of your remaining cookie crumbs over the surface of the whipped topping/cream, and spread evenly with a fork. Repeat this layering, using up the remaining ice cream mixture, whipped topping/cream, and crushed cookies. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cake, wrap the whole thing in foil, and freeze until firm, several hours or overnight or up to a month or so.

To serve: cut cake into slivers or slices or sections; drizzle with chocolate syrup or hot fudge sauce; and sprinkle with some of the reserved crushed peppermint candies. Serves 8-10 normal people or 4-6 of the sort who live in my house.

Emergency Hot Fudge Sauce

1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules or freeze-dried espresso (no, your fudge sauce will not taste like coffee...it will just taste more like chocolate)

1 teaspoon hot water

1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark)

1 cup mini marshmallows

1 cup evaporated milk (I use 2% or skim)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Dissolve the coffee or espresso in the hot water in a large (8-cup at least) microwave-safe bowl or in a medium-sized saucepan. Dump in the other ingredients except the vanilla and mix rather halfheartedly. Microwave on high power until thick and bubbly--about 4-6 minutes total, stirring after every minute. This is not the time to walk away unless you're going for the chocolate volcano effect in your microwave. If you're using the stovetop, cook over mediumish heat until bubbly and thick, stirring constantly. (No walking away here, either. Scorched chocolate is a very sad thing.) Once your E.H.F.S. is thick and enticing, stir in the vanilla and cool slightly before serving or storing in a glass jar in the refrigerator. The basic recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups but is easily doubled or tripled. (Or quintupled, if you're making enough for a high school marching band post band-camp ice cream buffet. For instance.)

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