Thin Mint Torte Food

THIN MINT TORTE

Steps:

• Have ready a baking sheet or inverted metal baking pan at least 11x5" that will fit in your freezer.
• Unwrap crackers.
• Place 4 whole crackers side by side, long sides touching, on baking sheet (you'll have a 10 1/4 x 4 3/4" rectangle).
• Have ready a tall pitcher of warm water.
• Take ice cream from freezer; remove top and sides of box.
• Dip a long sharp knife into the pitcher, wipe dry and cut three 1/3" thick slabs from one end of the brick.
• With a broad spatula, lift slabs and place in a single layer on arranged graham crackers, aligning corners and edges.
• Top with 4 crackers.
• Repeat until there are four layers each ice cream and graham crackers.
• Top with remaining 4 crackers.
• Press down gently but firmly.
• Using a small spatula, smooth ice cream on sides to even up the crackers.
• Immediately place torte (still on sheet) in freezer.
• Freeze at least 12 hours.
• Heat chocolate glaze ingredients in a small saucepan or in microwave until steaming hot, but not boiling.
• Let stand 1-2 minutes.
• Whisk until melted and smooth.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Line a rimmed pan that will fit in your freezer with foil.
• Set a wire cooling rack in pan.
• Lift frozen torte to rack.
• Pour glaze over torte, covering top, sides, and ends.
• Return to freezer until chocolate is firm.
• Loosen torte from rack with a broad metal spatula and transfer to a serving plate, or wrap and freeze up to one month.
• TO SERVE: Garnish torte with mint sprigs.
• Cut from an end in 1/2" thick slices.

MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with two layers of plastic wrap, leaving a few inches of overhang on all sides. Open all of the ice cream containers. Place one 1 1/2 quart (or 3 pints) on the counter and let soften until it resembles thick cake batter, 5 to 10 minutes; you'll use this ice cream first. Place the other containers in the refrigerator to soften while you build the first half of the cake. (Ice cream will reach the desired consistency in the refrigerator in 20 to 30 minutes.)
• Scatter the crushed cookies in a thin, even layer across the bottom of the pan. Spoon the first softened container of ice cream over the cookies and spread into an even layer. Press down as you go to adhere the ice cream to the cookies. If at any point the ice cream is melting to liquid, pop the cake and ice cream in the freezer to firm to a spoonable consistency.
• Place the pan in the freezer while you unwrap the sandwiches. Top the ice cream with a layer of ice cream sandwiches, cutting some as needed to fill the layer to the edges.
• Spoon the remaining ice cream over the top and spread into an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.
• To serve, use the plastic overhang to remove the cake from the pan. Cut into squares or rectangles and serve with a drizzle of hot fudge or Magic Shell. If you're finding the cake too solid to cut, don't wait for it to soften: Warm your knife by running it under hot water and wiping it dry between cuts.

EASY MINT THINS

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt chocolate candy coating; stir until smooth. Stir in extract., Dip crackers in chocolate candy coating; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set., Drizzle tops with white candy coating; decorate as desired. Let stand until set. Store in airtight containers.