This is a cold desert that may seem decadent and it is. However it is not hard to make. The worst part is waiting for it to cool. Grab your garters, all you sweets lovers, cause it's about to get real frosty up in here.
First you will need to grab a few things. Your electric beater; unless your strong enough to whip it - whip it real good; your bowls and muffin tins, the lap top and your favorite movie. Better make it two. This is gonna take time.
Lets be honest, most of us don't know a thing about baking. Well, I do - but instead of making you learn something you ether don't have the time or just may not be ready for, I'm going to make this easy. Let's cheat!
You will need:
1 box strawberry cake mix (...and whatever the directions on the box require. I'm not picky about this one, as it's your call on favorite, though I do recommend a 'moist' kind.)
1 gallon Butter Pecan Ice Cream (Whatever brand you like. I always recommend Blue Bunny. Because ... Bunnies.)
1 bag of sliced almonds (These you find in the cookie baking isle. You don't need expensive. Just make sure they are not slivered.)
1 large tub of whipped topping (Again, whatever kind you like. Many scream you have to have the 'whip' but the truth is - it's all the same. Just don't get the 'in a can' sort. You *need* from a tub)
Grab your favorite strawberry cake mix and follow the directions on the box. Make small muffins out of them.
No, they are not cup cakes. Cup cakes would imply you make them in an actual cup - like the kind you drink tea from- you know, provided your coffee is real and not from a fast food/convenience store.
The idea originated in France - despite what some people will tell you - during the rule of King Lewie the 14th. The idea was to make a small bon-bon with a cake like outer layer, filled with a mouse and dipped in chocolate or icing. (Later sweet tooth, later!)
The french chef Aunrie deLurach had been challenged to make something as delicious as the petit fours that had delighted the royal family for ages. The problem is that the cake in those delicacies are not at all easy to make if your in 17th century France. Instead of making a whole cake he would test batter consistency by cooking just a small amount of it in old chipped cups. Suffice to say, he never quite got it right. Never the less the servants delighted in the small cakes, as they not only got to eat them, it allowed them to have something usually prohibitively exspencive in more affordable proportions. Sugar was expensive back then. What are you gonna do? Things went to hell due to stupid and we all know what happened next. Yeah. Just got some learning up in here.
Let those muffins cool completely. If you have small children this may require cleverness. Send them to Grandmas, let them spend the night at a friends or throw them in the basement with as many broken chair legs as you can find to hunt down this Edward guy. Whatever works for you.
Stop eying the muffins. Go back to your movie.
About half way through your movie the cakes will be cool. Unless your watching something less than an hour long. If that's the case - what's wrong with you? Go get a real movie! Something with action, adventure, romance. Robots!
Take the cakes from the tins and grab your fancy glasses. If you want you can make a large one, you know - save on the dishes. If that's the case, follow the same instructions, just do it bigger. Stop trying to sneak a muffin!
Set aside as many muffins as you will be making individually. Unless your making a large one. The just use 'em all.
In your fancy glass crumble 2 muffins and smoosh 'em down until they form a firm but pliable base. This means put the full weight of your upper body on them for no less than 5 seconds. 10 if you're a light weight. What's a matter with 'cho! Eat something!
Once these are done put them in the freezer and pull out the ice cream. Empty the whole thing into a bow or mixer. Not a blender. We are not making milk shakes here. That's for another time.
Clean up. Wash your dishes, toss out your rappers, stop trying to sneak a bite of the ice cream, and dry your hands.
Now grab your mixer. On low you want to beat that ice cream until it resembles fresh whipped cream. This means it should show waves from the beaters, but not lumps or water edges. You want it spreadable, not destroyed.
By now the muffins are starting to freeze. That step was very important as it keeps the ice cream from melting more than it needs to and makes it easier for it to freeze again.
In each glass put one scoop of ice cream. Get a warm bowl of water and make sure your hands are clean. You need to do this next part by hand. Push the ice cream down until it covers the entire muffin crumble using just your finger tips. You want to leave the cake showing through the glass. If you use a utensil the ice cream will stick to it or melt down into the muffin taking away that lovely ringed effect. Your will find your fingers start to freeze. That's why you have the water and elliptical machine; to keep the ice cream from clinging to your fingers and thighs.
Set out the whipped cream if it is frozen. If not, keep it in the fridge. That's not a movie time snack, though theaters would make so much more money if it were. Now put the glasses back in the freezer, leave the set aside muffins alone and go watch another rental. This time: Aliens.
When the movies done and you've calmed down enough to keep from reaching for the remaining sweets or liqueur cabinet to calm your love/hate/disappointment, it is time to add the next layer. More muffins. Like before, crumble them on top of the now reconstituted ice cream. This should leave you room on top for the next layer. If you made the big one, skip this step, you've already used all your muffins.
Grab your defrosted whipped cream and a spatula. On top of each serving put in a layer of whipped cream that takes it to the top of the glass and no further. The spatula will help you level it off. We're trying to have desert here, not a diabetes.
This is the fun and easy to mess up part. Take your sliced almonds and place them in a whimsical formation on top the whipped cream. I made a flower with mine. Not that artistic? Sprinkle them on, just don't be heavy with them. You're going for decor, not a crust.
Now for the hardest part. Put them in the freezer. Clean up your kitchen. Turn off the lights. Go to bed.
Yes. Go. To. Bed.
You see, when you pull these out tomorrow and let them defrost for about 10 minutes - or until you see the frost on the glass start to bead up - it will give the whipped cream a nice skin that is not at all like that nasty one you get on puddings. It will also bring the ice cream up to optimal temperature while leaving the muffin cold enough to enhance its flavors.
Didn't know muffins were better when allowed to be partially frozen?
Look at all the learning we have going on today!
Enjoy!
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