Gingerbread Ice Cream Food

PEPPERMINT-GINGERBREAD ICE CREAM BOMBE

Steps:

• For the filling: Line a large glass bowl (9 inches wide at the top, 4 1/2 inches wide at the bottom and 3 1/2 inches tall) with plastic wrap, leaving at least 1 inch of overhang on all sides.
• Spoon 2 cups of the peppermint ice cream into the bowl and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with the candy-coated chocolates and freeze until the ice cream is firm, about 1 hour.
• Spoon the vanilla ice cream on top of the candy-coated chocolates and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with the peppermint candies and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• For the crust: Meanwhile, put the gingersnap cookies in a food processor and pulse until a coarse crumb forms. Add the butter and pulse until the texture of the crumbs is similar to wet sand.
• Spoon the remaining 4 cups peppermint ice cream on top of the peppermint candies in the bowl and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the cookie crust on top of the ice cream and gently press down. Cover the entire bombe with plastic wrap and freeze until completely set, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
• For the topping: Invert the bombe onto a cutting board or serving platter and carefully remove the bowl with the help of the plastic wrap overhang. Drizzle the chocolate shell topping over the top of the bombe. To serve, warm a knife in hot water, dry the knife off and cut slices.

GINGERBREAD-SPICED ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Line a quarter sheet pan or 9-by-13-inch baking pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang. Spread the ice cream in the pan in an even layer with an offset spatula. Freeze until very firm, about 4 hours.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and cloves into a large bowl. Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined. (If the dough seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water.) Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap, shape into a disk and wrap tightly. Refrigerate until chilled, about 20 minutes.
• Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut the dough into 2-by-4-inch rectangles (a pizza cutter is great for this); you'll get about 24. Arrange on the prepared pans, about 1 1/2 inches apart, and prick each cookie with a fork a few times down the center. Freeze until firm, 15 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Bake the cookies, one baking sheet at a time, until golden on the bottom but still soft in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely.
• Lift the ice cream out of the pan using the plastic wrap and invert onto a cutting board; discard the plastic. Working quickly, cut the ice cream into twelve 2-by-4-inch rectangles. Sandwich the ice cream between the cookies, place on a baking sheet and return to the freezer.
• Put the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Stir in the vegetable oil. Dip each sandwich partway in the white chocolate, then sprinkle with nonpareils. Return to the baking sheet and freeze until ready to serve.

GINGERBREAD ICE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, baking in 8-inch baking pan. On wire rack, cool completely. Remove cake from pan; set aside. Clean same baking pan, then line with aluminum foil; set aside.
• Cut cake horizontally in half. Place bottom half of cake in pan, cut-side-up, then top with Breyers All Natural Butter Pecan Ice Cream, pressing to form an even layer. Gently press on top half of cake, cut-side-down. Cover and freeze 4 hours or overnight. Lift cake from pan using foil; remove foil. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

NO-CHURN GINGERBREAD ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Place heavy cream and marshmallow creme in a food processor; process 10 seconds. Add remaining ingredients; process until thickened, about 30 seconds., Transfer to freezer containers, allowing headspace for expansion. Freeze until firm, 8 hours or overnight.