Guest Author - Roxanne Batson

Do you like coffee and chocolate and whipped cream? If you do, you will absolutely love this pie!

I've served it to many guests and they all love it because it's so rich and creamy and positively sinful! This is a great dessert for entertaining because it can be divided into small pieces or large depending on the size of your dinner party.

The best meal I have ever served with this dessert was steaks, baked potatoes and a salad with nuts, fruit and blue cheese. Somehow the mocha ice cream just topped off the dinner perfectly.

That is also a very easy dinner for home entertaining, particularly if you grill the meat. Here's how I do it. An hour or two before guests arrive, tear lettuce or use bagged salad, place in large salad bowl and refrigerate. Toast nuts in oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes and set aside until ready to use. Just before guests arrive, put potatos in the oven at 375-400 degrees for one hour. After guests arrive, take the steaks out and season with salt and pepper both sides. Leave steaks out to warm to room temperature for 45 minutes or so. Now relax with guests.

When ready to grill, just throw on the steaks. Meantime toss nuts/dried cranberries/blue cheese in salad. Get plates out ready to serve. This meal is simple and all can be served on one plate. When steaks are done, top each with a small, thin pat of butter. Toss salad with dressing and place on plate with potato and steak. Voila! Delicious and simple.

We entertain a lot at our house. I find it the perfect way to visit with friends when we are so busy during the day. We can relax and enjoy the company. I always set the table the day before our company is coming so that I only have to concentrate on the food and visiting with my friends. This makes it easier to spend some time thinking about the arrangement too.

Often, I'll decorate with flowers. Buying one small bouquet at the grocery store can be inexpensive and will go far if you divide it into small vases, about 3 inches high and set at intervals around the table. Light the candles and you have instant atmosphere.

After dinner, bring out the frozen mocha ice cream pie and let it thaw a few minutes. When slightly softened, cut into slices and serve immediately with either a spoon or a fork.

MOCHA ICE CREAM PIE

26 dark chocolate wafer cookies such as "Famous Wafers"
3 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
2 quarts Starbucks Mocha Java Chip ice cream
2 1/4 cups chilled whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder

Milk Chocolate Shavings

9 inch springform pan with wax paper or parchment paper cut out and fitted inside bottom.

Note: if you don't want to buy Starbucks coffee or can't find it you can substitute 2 quarters coffee ice cream, softened and mixed with 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks, chopped.

Directions:

Over wax paper, shave chocolate from milk chocolate candy bar with a vegetable peeler. Set aside.

Pulverize chocolate cookies in food processor. Stir in melted butter. Press mixture in bottom of a 9 inch diameter springform pan with 2 1/2 inch sides. You can substitute an already prepared, store bought, dark chocolate cookie crust. Freeze about 10 minutes.

Soften coffee ice cream. Spoon into crust and spread. Place in freezer.

Combine whipping cream and vanilla in large bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa. Using electric mixer beat all ingredients until cream stiffens and forms peaks. Spread mixture over top of ice cream, sprinkle chocolate shavings on top and freeze again.

Make the ice cream pie the day ahead so the ice cream and topping have time to freeze firmly.

When ready to serve, remove and let soften slightly. Dip knife into warm water to heat. Run knife around inside to loosen sides. Remove sides of springform pan. Cut into wedges and serve.

Makes 12


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