Ice-cream cake

It was that time of the year again, when I know I should make a Pralines & Cream ice-cream cake with Oreo cookies base. It's called The BF's birthday. Yup, he's specific like that (I love you!!! :P)

Since last year's experience with pralines still left me traumatized, I decided I was going to avoid it at all cost (1st batch burnt, 2nd batch not caramelized enough, 3rd batch was ok but there was not enough pecans left to call it an actual batch) I figured if I was gonna make an ice cream cake, it should definitely be, well, ICE CREAM, so I made what else but David Lebovitz's "The Perfect Scoop" both Philadelphia style Vanilla and Chocolate (Philadelphia style ice cream means there is no egg)

OH!!!
MY!!!
GOODNESS!!!
SOOOOOOOOO GOOD!!!!!

Now..., I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post his recipes here since they're from the book and all. But if you're pressed for time and you want to make an ice cream cake, you can definitely make it from store-bought stuff. Use any cookies or cake for the bottom layer, and a couple of your favorite ice cream flavors. And for the mold, use anything you have: cake pan, bread pan, round, square or rectangle. I used a springform pan, I find it easier to release the cake.

• 18 Oreo cookies, crushed
• 1 pint of vanilla ice cream
• 1 pint of chocolate ice cream
• 2 oz dark chocolate, melted, and piped into desired shapes on waxed papers. Let cool.

Line wax paper on the bottom, and the side of mold (A cut out 9inch round and a long strip in my case) Spread the crushed cookies and press them down to pack them together. Take one box of ice cream, let soften in the fridge for about 5-10 minutes for easy spreading. Spoon into pan and spread out evenly. Put the whole thing in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up and do the same with the other flavors.

Top cake with cooled chocolate shapes. Or pipe directly on top once the cake has been well frozen. As you can see, I went with hearts because, well, isn't it obvious????

My BF certainly knew that I would make him an ice cream cake because that's just his non-negotiable ultimate favorite. So the only thing left to surprise him with was his birthday present that I painted with love. That is him when he was a baby, how cute right? No wonder he always gloats about it. LOL!!!

On another note, the cookie sale for Amnesty International Fundraiser is going very well. I'm really happy that everyone is so supportive. It will end on Sunday with the Yoga Mala event in the Old Port and I can't wait to see how much we've all raised for this great cause.

My birthday cake

Speaking of birthday, I had mine too a couple of weeks ago. And let me tell you, I don't think anyone has ever gotten a birthday cake as AMAZING & AWESOME & FULL OF LOVE as mine.

It was made by one of my best friend Catherine and it took her FIVE days to make it: my favourite alien of all time, Stitch.

See, that's not just a sprinkle of love. That's a truck load of love and then some more.

As you can imagine, I was more than happy when she removed my blindfold. Speechless. Surprised. Awestruck. Anything you can think of. My heart fluttered & I was completely light-headed.

And then I was sad to cut into it, but at the same time really excited... *sigh*... it's hard being an adult with complex emotions... lol!!!

I can finally move on & grow up now, because I got the best birthday cake EVER.

Cat! Je t'aime and I dedicate this post to you :) xoxoxoxox Merci encore!!!

Yup, I went for the ear first...

The talented Catherine with her creation, whom I poked his nose to look for cake snot...

It's almost too painful to look at this picture, but I wanted to show you how it looks inside.

P.S: These pictures are from various friends that were conscious to remember to take pictures, at the time the cake was revealed. Thanks guys!