Mocha Chip Icebox Pie

Most people that know me know that I love to cook and bake! Food Network is on our TV the majority of the day and I just love watching to get recipe ideas and kitchen tips. I saw this recipe while watching Barefoot Contessa one afternoon and thought to myself, "This would be a perfect summer dessert." It is seriously one of the easiest desserts I've ever made! I tried it for the first time while I was in Fulton visiting, and I think everyone approved...it was gone within 2 days! If you are entertaining one summer weekend, or need a simple dessert to take to a gathering, give this a try! (Note: It needs to sit in the freezer at least six hours before serving.)

I always see Giada de Laurentis using mascarpone cheese in her recipes. I've searched and searched for this Italian ingredient before, and finally found it at Whole Foods. It is kind of like an Italian cream cheese. The recipe called for this unique item and I wanted it to turn out as authentic as possible.

Mascarpone cheese wasn't the only rare ingredient required for this frozen dessert. Ina Garten said that she used Tate's cookies in her recipe; they are made locally in the Hamptons. I didn't want to make my own and she said that thin and crispy cookies would work best. While I was at Whole Foods I browsed the cookie aisle to see what it offered. And low and behold, there were Tate's cookies! I bought two bags and left the store very excited about my finds.

The dessert takes chocolate chip cookies and layers them with a cream mixture. I did four layers of cookies and four layers of the cream, starting with cookies on the bottom of a 9 in. springform pan.

See all the layers! After freezing for several hours, the cream mixture really softens the cookies and you are able to slice this just like a cake.

Mocha Chip Icebox Pie (adapted from Ina Garten's recipe)

2 Cups heavy cream
1/2 Cup of sugar
12 oz. mascarpone cheese
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
36 chocolate chip cookies

Pour cream into a bowl and whip just until it's fluffy. Add the sugar, mascarpone cheese, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and vanilla. Whip together until combined and stiff peaks form.

Start with a bottom layer of chocolate chip cookies. Place cookies on the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan until the bottom is covered. You may want to break cookies into smaller pieces to fill in any gaps. Place 1/4 of the cream mixture on top of the cookies. Continue this process, creating four layers. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for at least six hours before serving.

This recipe didn't completely fill my springform pan. You could easily double the recipe to get a much thicker dessert. Enjoy!