Summer Fun with Food


Enjoying ice cream is a huge part of summer. In my house it’s a year round fun fest when it comes to enjoying ice cream as two of my three children love the cool flavours. Each summer I try to create some fun recipes that include ice cream, whether it’s as a filling in a cake or adding ingredients to the ice cream to make a pie or simply enjoy it on its own. So I was excited to hear about a new ice cream shop that opened last week in Guelph. This one is right up my alley-creating new tastes or “recipes” right there in front of you with whatever ingredients you wanted to add to the ice cream. I had to check it out!

Marble Slab Creamery has been in Canada since 2003, and has been making their super premium ice cream on site with fresh ingredients which also include some decadent hand rolled waffle cones too. So what makes this creamery different? Easy you can create a customized ice cream flavour just for you. What an exciting experience!

I walked into a fresh aroma of vanilla waffles, then was entranced by the tasty looking ice cream cakes-Birthday Bonanza and Turtle Cake were two that made an impression on me. I was given some instruction on what I needed to do, and then I selected my ice cream. I looked to see the flavours and most were of interest to me; Key Lime, Green Tea, Black Cherry, but one jumped out at me-Birthday Cake. So I went with that as my base flavour. Now I could have stopped there but I selected some “mixins” which are just that to be mixed into the ice cream. The ice cream was placed on a frozen marble slab and scoops of fudge brownie, Skor bar pieces and Oreo cookie pieces were mixed in right in front of me. The marble slab helps to keep the ice cream chilled while the mixins are folded in. My own selection was scooped into a plain waffle cone which is what I picked from the variety of dipped cones. Wow, it really did taste like birthday cake with some other yummy stuff I love-brownies, cookies and chocolate bars.

I had to take some home because an idea had popped into my head. So I picked up a pint of Birthday Cake ice cream and added fudge brownie, chocolate chip cookie dough, strawberries and chocolate chips. A birthday party in a pint!

This ice cream really is so much more with all the good stuff of homemade ice cream and covers all the yumminess of dessert too. I wanted to create something that was easy to share with family and friends and keep all the flavours of the ice cream perfect for a birthday party or after dinner treat that can be made ahead of time to make it easy for summertime entertaining. For more information about locations, flavours and more check out http://www.marbleslab.ca/

Ice Cream Birthday Cupcakes

Here’s a twist on how to enjoy cake and ice cream for any occasion, not just birthdays!

¾ cup (175 mL) graham cracker crumbs
Pinch cinnamon
3 tbsp (45 mL) butter, melted
1 pint Marble Slab Creamery Birthday Cake ice cream with your choice of mixins, softened slightly
½ cup (125 mL) 35% whipping cream
½ tsp (2 mL) vanilla
Rainbow sprinkles (optional)

In a small bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs and cinnamon. Drizzle in butter and stir until well coated and moist. Divide mixture among 8 paper lined muffin tins and pat down to flatten. Bake in 350 F (180 C) oven for about 8 minutes or until firm to the touch. Let cool completely.

Divide ice cream among crumb crusts and flatten slightly. Whip cream and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Scrape into piping bag and pipe onto ice cream; sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles, if using. Freeze until firm.

Makes 8 servings.

Extreme Chocolate Bar Pie

Here’s another great ice cream dessert that you can make ahead. An extra drizzle of caramel sauce drizzled on top will add a touch of sweet ecstasy.

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) chocolate cookie crumbs
1/3 cup (75 mL) finely chopped toasted pecans
1/4 cup (50 mL) mini chocolate chips
1/4 tsp (1 mL) cinnamon
1/3 cup (75 mL) butter, melted
Filling:
4 cups (1 L) chocolate bar flavoured ice cream, softened
3/4 cup (175 mL) mini marshmallows
1/2 cup (125 mL) Skor toffee bits
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped toasted pecans
2 oz (60 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped and melted
Whipped Cream (optional)

In bowl combine cookie crumbs, pecans, chocolate chips, cinnamon and butter until moistened and pat evenly into bottom and up side of 10-inch (25-cm) pie plate. Bake in 350 F (180 C) oven for about 10 minutes or until firm. Let cool completely.

Filling: Stir marshmallows into 2 cups (500 mL) of the ice cream and gently spread into bottom of crust. Sprinkle with toffee bits. Freeze for 30 minutes or until firm. Stir pecans into remaining ice cream and spread over top of first layer. Freeze for at least 2 hours or until firm.

Drizzle with chocolate before serving. Garnish with whipped cream, if using.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Tips: Cover and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Let stand about 5 minutes at room temperature before cutting.

There are a variety of chocolate bar flavoured ice cream such as Skor, Mars, and Turtles and more available in grocery stores. You can also use Snicker Doodle flavoured ice cream from Marble Slab Creamery.

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