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Friday, October 9, 2015

October 9: Bog (of Eternal Stench) Boulders

 Ice cream & a cookie enrobed in chocolate and sprinkles

Was that you howling for a save at the end of a long workweek? I thought as much.

Howl no longer, friend, as I've got what you need to cross over into the beauty that is weekend.

What is it, you ask? Why, it's none other than an ice cream dessert I'm (ill-advisedly) calling Bog of Eternal Stench Ice Cream Boulders! (If you're all, "What is she talking about?!" then obviously you are A. Not a child of the 80s/90s, and B. Going to have to watch this Labyrinth clip which shall elucidate all. All hail Henson.)

Yay to Friday! Yay to choosing a gross name for my delish dessert! Yay to knowing it's weird but doing it anyway! Yay to this other clip which features the word "boulder."

Okay, enough silliness. Let's get to business.

When I was flipping through all of my idea files and magazines toward the end of September, one of the things that drew me to this recipe was how it makes just four servings. I need some options that don't produce leftovers to taunt our sweet teeth (is that the accepted plural of sweet tooth? IS there an accepted plural of sweet tooth? Hmm...seems like there should be, so let's go with it.) One of the pitfalls of this month of treats is the array of desserts sitting on the counter tempting passersby. I've already got toe cookies, pumpkin cookies (which I'd made just for fun and not to feature as part of the month but they're so good I'm going to cycle them in--look for them in an upcoming post!), and meringue ghosts.

*Oh, speaking of those damned ghosts...I need to pass along a tip. Remember how I told you the first batch didn't turn out properly because they were still kind of gooey in the middle even though the outsides were crisp? And then I made the second batch which turned out perfectly crisp? The bad ghosts ended up ruining my good ghosts! ARRRGHHH! Here's what happened: I stored the two batches in separate air-tight containers for the first three days. No problems yet. The good ones were still good, the bad ones still chewy. But then I made the aforementioned pumpkin cookies and needed a container for them. I decided to consolidate all the meringues. I hesitated before I did so, wondering if moisture from the bad batch would somehow ruin the good batch. This is another case in which I should've trusted my instincts. The bad batch made the good batch chewy! After sending the bad ones to their stinky garbage-y grave, I tried salvaging the good ones by sticking them in the oven to dry out. It helped a bit, but they're permanently damaged. Lesson learned the hard way.

Just say "no" to sticky ghost meringues.
No Ghosts logo designed by Michael Gross; image from Pratt Institute website

Moving on... Let's talk more about this make-what-you-need ice cream dessert. It's a cookie with a scoop of ice cream covered in chocolate and sprinkles. Done! And yum!

* * * * *

Bog Boulders  Chocolatey-coated ice cream atop a cookie. Customize to your family's tastes! Recipe adapted from the 2010 Taste of Home Holiday Halloween magazine.'

Servings: 4
Active Prep Time: 15 minutes


Ingredients

4 cookies (the original recipe calls for gingersnap cookies, but I used a plain chocolate wafer cookie. You could really use any cookie you like-- homemade or store bought! Have fun with it!) 
4 scoops ice cream, about 1/4 cup each (the original recipe calls for vanilla, which I used, but use whatever you like. I recommend letting the ice cream sit out while you set up your baking sheet and cookies. It's easier to work with slightly softened.)
1 cup (6oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon shortening
 (Note: you could substitute candy melts for the chocolate chips. If you do, omit shortening.) 
Halloween sprinkles (I found mine at HomeGoods and Target)

Directions

1. Place cookies in single layer on waxed paper- or parchment-lined baking sheet. Top each cookie with a scoop of ice cream. Freeze until firm. 
2. In small, microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening (or candy melts); stir until smooth.
3. Remove one dessert at a time from freezer. Dip in melted chocolate, then decorate with sprinkles. (This line in the directions glazes over--ha! get it? because it's a glaze? hahaha. I should switch to stand-up comedy, I know... -- the gloppy mess that is part of this step. I did try dipping the first ice cream dome. However, because the chocolate is hot and the ice cream is cold, it wasn't adhering very well and was melting my ice cream. Thus, I switched to a method whereby I dipped the bottom cookie section into the chocolate and then used a rubber spoonula--a spatula in a spoon shape--to paint on the rest of the chocolate. It made a huge mess but got the job done.) Replace in freezer to set. (Do it fast. As you can see in one of the photos, the ice cream oozes out the bottom; though, in a bog, that's no big woo.) Freeze until serving. 

* * * * *
More of a visual learner? No prob.
Behold.
 Start with the four cookies on a lined pan.
 
 Scoop 1/4 cup ice cream onto each cookie.
 After freezing for at least an hour (I did mine overnight), cover with melted chocolate & sprinkles.
 Voila! Ice cream boulders.
Kitchen towel, Kohls

As I was preparing ours, I thought of a bunch of yummy flavor combos I could try next time. Mint chocolate chip ice cream on top of a mint Oreo sounds yum. As does a chocolate cookie base, vanilla (or chocolate marshmallow! or peanut butter!!! MMM) ice cream, and a salted caramel coating (I have candy melts in that flavor). What about an Oreo cookie with Oreo ice cream and some white chocolate coating? Or a chocolate chip cookie with cookie dough ice cream and chocolate coating? Or a sugar cookie with cake batter ice cream and vanilla coating?? Omigosh! The possibilities are endless. 

This is delicious to contemplate. 

Just be sure that, whatever scrumptious combo you try, you top it with the Halloween sprinkles. Otherwise, our theme is ruined. And if you ruin our theme, I'm sending bad ghost meringues after you!

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