Recipe: Oreo Cookie and Chocolate Ice Cream Calypso Pie

Oreo Cookies Image: Ah, childhood pleasures of licking the filling off the cookie and then dunking it in a cold glass of milk... by penguincakes via Flickr

From Denny: This recipe is quite the calorie buster and a definite show-off for the holidays or entertaining! It comes from the Southern Recipe Restoration Project that the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is sponsoring. There are a lot of interesting easy recipes you can do with Oreo cookies and this cookie crust for this intriguing special pie is just one of many.

From: Ashley Leckey, a Tallahassee native and University of Georgia graduate who has lived in Atlanta since 2004. This recipe comes from her jack-of-all-trades grandmother, Cele Marcoux, who was an editor at a newspaper, had a line of luxury ties, worked in a dental lab and was even a nurse in the Army. Now that's job experience!

Marcoux often flavored this recipe with her own homemade liqueur and used the sauce recipes supplied below too.

Hands on time: 30 minutes
Total time: 3 hours
Serves: 12

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), divided

18 Oreo cookies, crushed

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

1 quart coffee ice cream (or 1 quart vanilla bean ice cream plus coffee-flavored liqueur to taste; see link below to separate recipe)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:

Melt 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter. Mix crushed cookies with melted butter; press into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch pie plate and chill.

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate and remaining butter. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and salt. Add the evaporated milk gradually, blending well. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and almond extracts.

Set aside to cool to room temperature. When the shell is chilled and the sauce has cooled, set out the ice cream to soften slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Fill the pie shell with the ice cream. Put the pie in the freezer until ice cream is firm again.

In the meantime, beat the whipping cream until it just holds a peak. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar. Spread the fudge sauce over the ice cream layer, then mound the top with whipped cream and sprinkle with pecans. Store in the freezer until ready to serve. Remove and let sit a few minutes before slicing.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 482 calories (percent of calories from fat, 63), 5 grams protein, 42 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 35 grams fat (17 grams saturated), 72 milligrams cholesterol, 261 milligrams sodium.



Coffee-flavored Liqueur

Hands on time: 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: Makes 1 gallon

Ingredients:

4 cups granulated sugar

6 1/2 cups water, divided

1 cup instant coffee

1 (375 milliliter) bottle 190-proof grain alcohol, such as Everclear (some of us might prefer a better quality vodka)

2 vanilla beans

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine sugar and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil; simmer for 20 minutes. Cool. Meanwhile, mix instant coffee with 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Cool. Combine both mixtures; add alcohol and remaining 2 cups water. Pour into four 16-ounce bottles and add 1/2 vanilla bean to each.

Nutrition:

Per ounce: 48 calories (no calories from fat), trace protein, 13 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, no fat, no cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium.



Copycat Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Hands on time: 15 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Serves: Makes 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In a heavy saucepan, stir together sugar and cocoa. Add milk and syrup and stir until blended. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil; continue stirring and boiling for 8 minutes. Remove from heat; add chocolate and butter and stir until melted, then add the cream. Return to the heat and boil an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool; store in the refrigerator in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. To serve, uncover and heat the jar in a saucepan of warm water for a few minutes (or in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds).

Nutrition:

Per tablespoon: 73 calories (percent of calories from fat, 45), trace protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 4 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 9 milligrams cholesterol, 21 milligrams sodium.


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Video: Nutriticious Ice Cream?

From Denny: Here's a good video to help us along with choosing better ice cream calories in this summer heat! The Early Show on CBS was doing a taste test of those ice creams and sorbets that were considered the tastiest, healthiest and also available nationwide. Take a look!


Watch CBS Videos Online

ice cream sorbet healthy diet food chocolate Haagen Das Ben and Jerry mango blueberry raspberry strawberry frozen yogurt

Funny Chocolate Story

From Denny: This is a delightful email that has made its rounds on the internet and deserves a home here in the chocolate world! Feel free to send this around to your friends and social sites! Pass it forward for others to enjoy and get a smile.

Hot Fudge Sundae Image by Peppysis via Flickr

How to Best Enjoy Your Life

One day I had a date for lunch with friends. Mae, a little old 'blue hair' about 80 years old, came along with them---all in all, a pleasant bunch. When the menus were presented, we ordered salads, sandwiches, and soups, except for Mae who said, 'Ice Cream, please. Two scoops, chocolate.'

I wasn't sure my ears heard right, and the others were aghast.

'Along with heated apple pie,' Mae added, completely unabashed.

We tried to act quite nonchalant, as if people did this all the time.

But when our orders were brought out, I didn't enjoy mine.
I couldn't take my eyes off Mae as her pie a-la-mode went down.

The other ladies showed dismay. They ate their lunches silently and frowned.

The next time I went out to eat, I called and invited Mae.

I lunched on white meat tuna. She ordered a parfait.

I smiled. She asked if she amused me.

I answered, 'Yes, you do, but also you confuse me.

How come you order rich desserts, while I feel I must be sensible?

She laughed and said, with wanton mirth, 'I'm tasting all that is Possible.

I try to eat the food I need, and do the things I should.
But life's so short, my friend, I hate missing out on something good.

This year I realized how old I was. (She grinned) I haven't been this old before.'

'So, before I die, I've got to try those things that for years I had ignored.

I haven't smelled all the flowers yet. There are too many books I haven't read. There's more fudge sundaes to wolf down and kites to be flown overhead.

There are many malls I haven't shopped. I've not laughed at all the jokes.

I've missed a lot of Broadway hits and potato chips and cokes.

I want to wade again in water and feel ocean spray on my face.

I want to sit in a country church once more and thank God for His grace.

I want peanut butter every day spread on my morning toast.

I want un-timed long distance calls to the folks I love the most.

I haven't cried at all the movies yet, or walked in the morning rain.

I need to feel wind in my hair. I want to fall in love again.
So, if I choose to have dessert, instead of having dinner,
then should I die before night fall, I'd say I died a winner,
because I missed out on nothing. I filled my heart's desire.
I had that final chocolate mousse before my life expired.'

With that, I called the waitress over... 'I've changed my mind, ' I said. 'I want what she is having, only add some more whipped cream!'

This is my gift to you - We need an annual Friends Day! If you get this twice, then you have more than one friend. Live well, love much & laugh often - Be happy.

SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS including me if I'm lucky enough to be counted among them.

Be mindful that happiness isn't based on possessions, power, or prestige, but on relationships with people we love and respect. Remember that while money talks, CHOCOLATE SINGS!

From Denny: Now go forth and spread some chocolate love! Have a good weekend!

Recipe: Triple Chocolate Mess in a Crock Pot

Image by Smaku via Flickr

From Denny: From Chow.com this is one of those simple recipes you can do with the kids or if you are a beginner cook. Also good for a weekend when you don't have the time to stop and do several steps for a recipe. Here the slow cooker takes care of it all!

Triple Chocolate Mess in a Crock Pot

Ingredients:

1 package chocolate cake mix

1 pint sour cream

1 package instant chocolate pudding (any size)

1 (6 oz.) package chocolate chips

3/4 cup oil

4 eggs

1 cup water

Directions:

Spray crock-pot with non-stick spray. Mix all ingredients, pour into crock pot. Cook on low 6-7 hours. Do Not Lift Lid!

Serve hot in the crockpot with ice cream or whipped cream.

Recipe: Chocolate-Amaretti Heartbreakers

Chocolate-Amaretti Heartbreakers

From CBS:

"These are really waffled cakes? moist, cocoa-rich and flecked with ground amaretti (Italian macaroons) and bittersweet chocolate. They're delicious as is, with just a sprinkling of confectioners' sugar, luscious with lightly sweetened, softly whipped cream, and downright indulgent with ice cream and hot fudge."


Ingredients:


3 large double amaretti (or 6 amaretti from 3 paper-wrapped packets)
2 oz. high-quality bittersweet chocolate

5 tbs. unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. double-acting baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup cocoa, preferably Dutch process

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

2 eggs

Confectioners' sugar, sweetened whipped cream, ice cream and/or hot fudge sauce for serving (optional)


Directions: Place the amaretti and bittersweet chocolate in the work bowl of a food processor or in a blender and process until pulverized; set aside.

Preheat a waffle iron. If you'd like to serve the waffles warm, preheat an oven to 350°F.

Melt the butter; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar and cocoa. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, vanilla, almond extract and eggs until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with the whisk to combine. Fold in the amaretti-chocolate mixture and the melted butter.

Lightly butter or spray the grids of the waffle iron, if needed. Brush or spray the grids again only if subsequent waffles stick.

Spoon out 1/3 cup of batter (or the amount recommended by the manufacturer's instructions) onto the hot iron. Use a metal spatula or wooden spoon to spread the batter evenly over the grids. Close the lid and bake until just set. Bake these slightly less than you do other waffles because chocolate has a tendency to burn easily. There's no need to worry, but you do want to keep an eye on these. Transfer the finished waffles to a cooling rack while you make the rest. If desired, just before serving, warm the waffles briefly, about 2 minutes, in the oven. They're good at room temperature, too.

To serve: You can present a full five-of-hearts to each person, shaking a dusting of confectioners' sugar over the entire waffle and then scooping some whipped cream or ice cream onto the center. Hot fudge sauce is both luscious and luxurious over these. Broken into individual hearts and filled with ice cream, these make fabulous sandwiches. Makes about 10 full five-of-hearts or about six 6 1/2-inch round waffles.

Adapted from "Waffles from Morning to Midnight," by Dorie Greenspan (Weldon Owen, 2001).