Chocolate Malt Ice Cream Cookie Cake

My first job was at a little ice cream shop in my hometown.

We served about 20 flavors of hand-dipped ice cream, along with sundaes, shakes, and malts of every variety.

Everyone said I'd get tired of ice cream, working with and around it so much.

Everyone was wrong. Very, very wrong.

I didn't get tired of it then, and I haven't gotten tired of it since. I've passed this love onto my family, which is why we have at least five flavors of ice cream in the house at any given time.

I'm particularly fond of the combination of chocolate and malt, so I don't know why it took me until my 47th birthday to figure out that this variation of my favorite ice cream cake would be a very good idea. Apparently, with age really does come wisdom. 

And for the record, I don't expect to get tired of this ice cream cake any time soon.

Chocolate Malt Ice Cream Cake (with Malted Chocolate Sauce) {print recipe}

Base layer:
12 chocolate-cream sandwich cookies, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Main layer:
16 chocolate-cream sandwich cookies
1 1/2 cups malted balls
8 ounces non-dairy whipped topping, thawed OR 3 cups sweetened whipped cream
1 1/2 quarts chocolate ice cream, very slightly softened

Malted Chocolate Sauce (optional, but a very good idea):
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup plain malted milk powder
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the base layer: preheat over to 350 degrees and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan OR a 9-inch cake pan with the highest sides you can round up. Toss together the 12 crushed cookies and the melted butter and press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 5 minutes, then cool completely.

For the main layer: break 16 cookies in half and throw them into the work bowl of a food processor, along with your malt balls. Process like crazy (you may have to add in some pulse action) until you have very fine (and highly addictive) malt-flavored cookie crumbs. Reserve about 1/4 cup for garnish. Spread 1/2 of the ice cream evenly over the cooled base layer. Top with 1/2 of the whipped topping or whipped cream. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 of the malted cookie crumbs. Repeat layers with remaining ice cream, whipped cream/whipped topping, and malted cookie crumbs. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cake, then wrap the entire pan in foil and freeze several hours at least, or up to several weeks. Cut into wedges to serve, drizzled with hot fudge sauce or plain chocolate sauce or warm Malted Chocolate Sauce and sprinkled with reserved cookie crumbs. Makes approximately 8-10 servings.

For the Malted Chocolate Sauce: in a small saucepan, whisk together the cocoa, cornstarch, malted milk powder, and brown sugar. Add the milk and whisk well, then whisk in the corn syrup. Set the pan over medium heat and stir while bringing it to a full boil. Lower the heat slightly and cook, whisking constantly, about one minute longer, until the sauce thickens and generously coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool, then refrigerate in a covered jar. Makes about 3/4 cup.

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