If you grew up in the 50’s or 60’s, then surely you had the classic icebox cake. Nabisco Chocolate Wafers were layered with whipped cream, chilled and then devoured as if a Paris chef had labored all day for dessert.
The Nabisco wafers have been a best seller for decades. People don’t eat them like Oreos, they use them for these icebox cakes and chocolate crust for pies. Of course, you can eat them all on their own. My mother would buy a package to make the icebox cake and then express horror when she discovered a third of the wafers had been eaten. I, properly under the 5th Amendment, professed innocence. My mother would take a Kleenex, wipe my teeth, and show me the evidence. Before there was DNA, there were chocolate crumbs.
There are 25 wonderful variations of icebox cakes in this delightful book. The cover has a picture of the Black Forest. For me, the grand entry is the Pistachio Chocolate, pictured at the end of this post. And in between you’ll find treats like:
Peppermint-Chocolate
Chocolate-Grand Marnier
Black and White Malted
Banana Rum
Black Pepper rum
Key Lime Pie
Lemon Caramel
These are highly evolved recipes. No, you don’t just buy cookies in the store to use. You make everything, everything. For the Key Lime Pie version, you make Key Lime Wafers and then Lime- Coconut Whipped Cream.
Banana Rum is a true afternoon’s work. You make Caramelized Rum Bananas, Vanilla Rum Pudding, Vanilla Rum Whipped Cream, and your own homemade Graham Crackers. That original chocolate recipe using Nabisco wafers could be knocked off in minutes. These recipes, vastly more elegant and intense, will take time. I believe, however, this is time very well invested.
You may not have enjoyed an icebox cake in decades. Please, don’t spend years more in depravation. Get a copy of Icebox Cakes, some whipping cream, and get to work. It will be fun and it will be delicious.
