In summer it’s useful to keep a few tubs of ice cream in the freezer. Whether its store bought, artisanal or better still prepared by you, it doesn't matter. What matters is that it's good ice cream. So, choose your favorite flavor, or even more than one flavor and make a fresh, mouth-watering and super spectacular dessert that will win everyone over.
Ice cream cake: brick, round or dome
Before deciding which flavors to use and how to alternate them, you need to decide the shape you want to give your cake. If you want to prepare a brick shape choose a mold used for plum cake and line it with transparent cling film so once out of the freezer you just need to lift the ends of the cling film to extract it. If you want a classic round cake use a hinge mold. For the dome you need either a simple round glass salad bowl or a special mold to be lined with cling film. If you want to use other types of particular shape molds, always remember to line them or to wet the base with lukewarm water before removing them from the mold.
How to make an ice cream cake
Let's start with the foundation, which no self-respecting cake can be without. For a classic cake base you can use a simple thin and slightly moist sponge cake, or biscuits like Savoiardi. If you’re a fan of the cheesecake base, chop some shortbread cookies with melted butter and press them nicely into the bottom of the mold.
You can then use pure ice cream or mix it with whipped cream to make it softer and similar to a semifreddo. If you want to create different layers remember to put the cake in the fridge after every layer is added. This way the tiers remain distinct and the cake will be nicer to slice and serve. In between the layers you can also add some sponge cake, dried fruit grains, biscuits or thin sheets of chocolate that will become nice and crunchy when cold. Inside the ice cream you can crumble meringues, some blended fruit or add fragments of biscuit or cake. Basically, the amazing thing about this dessert is that everyone can turn it into anything they like.
Fruit ice cream cake
You are spoilt for choice at this time of year because summer fruits are the most colorful, beautiful, and sweetest fruit of the year. If you want a neutral base use a flavor like vanilla, fiordilatte or cream and decorate it with melon slices or peaches and apricots. Avoid fruits that are too watery such as watermelon. For a spectacular effect as the final decoration add berries or frosted grapes.
Creamy ice cream cake
If you have a big sweet tooth and love ice cream flavors made of cream and eggs, make a layer cake alternating chocolate, cream, hazelnut and pistachio. Add some hazelnut chips or crumbled crunchy crumbs between layers. For the chocolate lovers, make a cake with different types of chocolate. A layer of dark chocolate, a layer of gianduia and a layer of white chocolate for example, using cocoa shortbread or a chocolate sponge cake as a base.