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Icebox Cake

(recipe, Keri Fisher)


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Introduction

This dessert is like a very rich chocolate-cream pie — with no baking necessary. Read more about no-bake summertime desserts in Keri Fisher's article "Chill out."

Ingredients

    Filling
    1. ¼ cup cornstarch
    2. ¾ cup sugar
    3. ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    4. Pinch of salt
    5. 2 cups whole milk
    6. 8 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, plus extra for garnish (see Note)
    7. 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
    8. 1 Tbsp. vanilla
    9. 1 box (14 oz.) graham crackers (see Note)
    Topping
    1. 1½ cups heavy cream
    2. 2 Tbsp. sugar
    3. 2 tsp. vanilla

    Steps

    1. Whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, cocoa, and pinch of salt in a heavy medium saucepan, then gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, then boil, whisking, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in chopped chocolate and butter until melted and smooth. Stir in the 1 tablespoon vanilla and set aside to cool slightly.
    2. Arrange one single layer of graham crackers in a pie plate or a 9-inch-by-11-inch baking dish. Top with one-third of the chocolate pudding. Repeat with remaining graham crackers and pudding, ending with a layer of pudding. Refrigerate while you prepare the whipped topping.
    3. Combine the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream in an even layer on top of pudding. Garnish with grated chocolate.

    Note

    If you have a zester or, even better, a Microplane, use it to create chocolate shavings for the garnish. Graham crackers that aren't made with hydrogenated oil and high-fructose corn syrup can be hard to find. As a substitute, use any dry, crumbly, neutral-flavored cookie, such as a thin butter cookie. For more even cookie layers, smash the cookies inside a ziplock bag before assembling the pie.