My Favorite Ice Cream Brownie

Last weekend was very exciting, we celebrated the engagement of Adam and Sara (my brother-in-law and future sister-in-law)!  Lots of champagne was involved and of course I had to bake for the occasion.

The happy couple:

Me with the new member of the family:

Looks like Matt and I are now the old married couple of the group;-)

The celebration was just a few days after my father-in-law’s birthday so I made this cake for him.  For the new engaged couple, I made a personalized Ice Cream Brownie.  I was very excited when Adam decided to propose to Sara.  When I asked what Sara’s favorite dessert is, he said she loves brownies with ice cream.  It didn’t take me more than a minute to decide what to make.

This is a dessert I’ve made often in the past, but the flavors always change depending on who I am baking for.  The basics stay the same:  brownie bottom, hot fudge and oreos on top of that, then cool whip and an ice cream of choice.  Pretty easy and oh so delicious.  ALWAYS a big hit.

Like I’ve said in the past, when there are enough tasty ingredients, lower fat parts don’t take away from the final product.  These No Pudge brownies are perfect for this recipe.  They are chewy and chocolaty, even when frozen, but not too rich to layer in this dessert.

Brownie mix + yogurt + stir = easy!

Spread batter thinly in a 13 x 9 pan sprayed with cooking spray

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until knife comes out clean

Next step- hot fudge and oreos

You can crush the oreos in a ziploc bag by hand while your brownie is baking

Spread the brownie with hot fudge before it is completely cool, it will be very easy to spread that way

Then cover the hot fudge with a full layer of crushed oreos

Then cover this entire layer in cool whip

Since Adam and Sara have different favorite flavors that don’t really go together, mint and peanut butter, I spilt the dessert in half with a wall of oreos

Once you have a full layer of cool whip, freeze the dessert for about a half hour

Next layer is ice cream

Spread your ice cream over the layer of cool whip

While I was planning the dessert, I realized we might want a way to identify each side before digging in

Pepperment patties and peanut butter cups

Once all of the ice cream is covered in cool whip, sprinkle the corresponding candy flavors on each side

And serve to the happy couple

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Ice Cream Brownie

Adapted from the Original Baker

Serves 12, generously

Ingredients:

1 box No Pudge Brownie (or brownie mix of choice) and ingredients listed on box

1 cup hot fudge

12 oreos

4 8 ounce containers of cool whip, defrosted

1/2 gallon ice cream (or 1/2 container each of 2 different flavors), slightly softened

20 pieces chocolate candy

Directions:

Bake brownie in a 13×9 baking pan sprayed with cooking spray, following instructions on box; bake for about 20 minutes or until knife comes out clean

While brownie is baking, crush oreos in a ziploc bag and set aside

Allow brownie to cool for about 10 minutes and then spread full layer of hot fudge

Layer crushed oreos over hot fudge

Spread 3 of the 4 containers of cool whip over oreos

Freeze layered dessert for about 30 minutes, or until cool whip layer is firm

Chop candy pieces while dessert is in freezer and set aside

Spread ice cream over top of cool whip

Cover ice cream with a thin layer of cool whip using 4th container

Sprinkle candy pieces over cool whip

Serve immediately or cover baking pan with tightly foil and freeze until serving

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Have you celebrated anyone’s engagement recently?