I do love a bit of culinary trickery. Like when you bake a cake with cookies and it’s not baked? This, young grasshopper, is such a thing. When it was invented in the 1930s, refrigerators (then called iceboxes) were chilled with big blocks of ice, and fridge manufacturers developed this sort of dessert to entice homemakers and encourage sales. At its simplest, the classic icebox cake is made with sweetened whipped cream and cookies, which soften in the cream and take on a cake-like texture in the fridge. I love the combination of bananas and Nutella, and that’s what inspired the cake here. The first variation features the magical combo of chocolate, coffee, and dulce de leche, and the other is a riff on a strawberry shortcake. Once the cake is assembled, both you and the cake can just sit back and chill.
SERVES 6
2 cups heavy cream
1¼ cups Nutella
½ cup coffee
1 (14.3-ounce) package Oreo cookies
2 bananas, sliced
Handful of banana chips, crushed, or chopped toasted almonds, for serving
Line an 8 × 4-inch loaf pan with baking parchment, with an overhang on the sides for wrapping.
In a large bowl, with an electric handheld mixer or a whisk (it’ll take some elbow grease, but it’ll work!), whip the cream and 1 cup of the Nutella until the mixture is stiff.
Pour the coffee into a small, shallow bowl. Briefly dip the Oreos, one by one, into the coffee and set aside on a cutting board.
Line the bottom of the pan with a third of the Nutella cream mixture. Make a second layer with a third of the Oreos, trimming them to fit snugly. (Cut some of them in half so the cut sides butt up against the perimeter of the pan.) Top the layer of cookies with half of the sliced bananas.
Repeat to form another layer with the remaining Nutella cream mixture, another third of the Oreos, and the remaining sliced bananas. Top with the remaining Oreos.
Fold the overhanging baking parchment over the cake, tuck it into the sides to cover, and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.
When ready to serve, unwrap the cake and turn it out onto a serving plate. Stir the remaining ¼ cup Nutella vigorously to loosen it up, pour it on the cake, and decorate the top with the banana chips or almonds.
Variations
Dirty Dulce Chill Cake
½ cup cold-brewed coffee
½ cup plus 2 table-spoons Dulce de Leche (this page), plus more for serving
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (14.3-ounce) package Oreo cookies
Chocolate-covered espresso beans, for serving
Line an 8 × 4-inch loaf pan with baking parchment, with an overhang on the sides for wrapping. Pour the coffee into a shallow bowl.
In a large bowl, with an electric handheld mixer or a whisk, combine the dulce de leche, cream, and vanilla and whip until the mixture is combined and stiff. Line the bottom of the pan with a third of the whipped cream. Dip a third of the cookies quickly on both sides in the coffee, then place them snugly in a layer on top of the cream. (Cut some of them in half so the cut sides butt up against the perimeter of the pan.)
Make two more layers with the remaining cream and cookies. Fold the overhanging baking parchment over the cake to cover, and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.
When ready to serve, unwrap the cake and turn it out onto a serving plate. Stir the dulce de leche vigorously to loosen it up. Decorate the cake with a drizzle of dulce de leche and the chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Strawberries and Cream Chill Cake
½ cup milk, any kind
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 quart strawberries, tops removed, sliced, plus a few for serving
1 (14.3-ounce) package Golden Oreo cookies or classic Oreo cookies
Line an 8 × 4-inch loaf pan with baking parchment, with an overhang on the sides for wrapping. Put the milk in a shallow bowl.
In a large bowl, with an electric handheld mixer, whip the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff.
Line the bottom of the pan with a third of the whipped cream. Top with a third of the strawberries. Dip a third of the cookies quickly on both sides in the milk, then place them in a layer on top of the cookies. (Cut some of the cookies in half so the cut sides butt up against the perimeter of the pan.)
Make two more layers with the remaining whipped cream, strawberries, and cookies, ending with the cookies. Fold the overhanging baking parchment over the cake to cover, and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days. When ready to serve, unwrap the cake and turn it out onto a serving plate. Decorate with more strawberries.
With so many schools declaring themselves nut-free zones, these cookies might be contraband in some places, but they are such a miracle of food science that they’re worth knowing about. Plus, they are the most gluten-free cookies that ever lived, because they bypass flour (any flour) altogether. All I know is they have the most tender, (peanut-) buttery texture of any PB cookie out there, and you pretty much can’t flub them up.
MAKES 24 COOKIES
1 cup smooth peanut butter (not natural-style unless the oil is emulsified)
⅔ cup sugar, plus ¼ cup for rolling
1 large egg
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment or nonstick foil.
In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, ⅔ cup of the sugar, and the egg and use a silicone spatula or large spoon to blend until everything is smooth.
Pour the remaining ¼ cup sugar onto a small plate. Using your hands, roll the dough into little balls the size of a walnut. Roll the dough balls one at a time in the sugar to coat evenly, and place them about 2 inches apart on the sheet pan. (If you’re using a small sheet pan, you’ll need to bake these in two batches.) Use a fork to press down on each dough ball to make a crisscross impression and to flatten them slightly.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are set in the middle and browned around the edges. Let cool on the sheet pan for a few minutes before using a spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack or a large plate to cool completely.
TIP If you want to make them prettier, press one chocolate kiss candy onto the top instead of marking them with a fork—or mix in some chocolate chips, or make an indentation in the center with your fingertip and put a teaspoon of grape jelly in it before baking, or sprinkle the tops with a bit of flaky salt before they go into the oven.
These chocolicious cakes are about as impressive a culinary masterpiece as you’re likely to pull off in a small space. On the outside they look like any other little chocolate cakes, but as you cut into them, melting chocolate spiced with a tongue-tingling hit of cayenne (if you want it spicy) bubbles forth like a slow sweet lava flow. Very impressive indeed, but not at all tricky. Even if they’re a little under- or over-baked, you still get a trophy for mastering this feat of mug-dessert engineering. Just remember not to overmix the batter.
SERVES 2
Nonstick cooking spray
½ cup (3 ounces) chopped semisweet chocolate
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, in small pieces
2 tablespoons powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, such as Café Bustelo
¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Ice cream, for serving (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Spray two 6-ounce coffee mugs with nonstick cooking spray and set them aside on a small sheet pan.
Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted, about 1 to 1½ minutes total.
Add the butter, powdered sugar, espresso powder, and cayenne (if using) to the bowl with the chocolate and whisk until smooth. Add the egg and the yolk and whisk to incorporate. Add the flour and gently whisk just until combined, but do not overmix or the cakes will become rubbery (a few lumps are okay).
Use a silicone spatula to divide the batter evenly between the two mugs. (At this point, you can cover the mugs and refrigerate them for up to 12 hours to bake later.)
Bake the mug cakes on the sheet pan for exactly 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes. When the mugs are cool enough to handle, run a knife around the inside of the mugs to loosen the cakes, and invert them onto small plates. Dust with additional powdered sugar and serve immediately—preferably with ice cream, if you have some around.
TIP Save the extra egg white to scramble on its own, or use it in the savory granola on this page.
These cookie/candy bars are ridiculously easy to make. Everything happens in the baking dish by layering each ingredient on top of the next like Roman ruins. I learned how to make them at Girl Scout camp in middle school and now I bake them for my son when he aces an exam (which is not often, but the incentive is there). You could substitute any nut—or more chocolate chips—for the peanuts, and double the recipe to bake it in a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
MAKES EIGHT 2 × 3-INCH BARS
4 tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter
¾ cup graham cracker crumbs or cookie crumbs
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup ridged potato chips, crushed
⅓ cup salted peanuts, roughly chopped
½ cup shredded, sweetened coconut
¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 350˚F.
Put the butter in an 8 × 6-inch baking dish and heat it in the oven until the butter has melted. Using oven mitts or dish towels, remove the dish from the oven and swirl it around so the butter covers the bottom evenly.
Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs evenly over the butter, followed by even layers of the chocolate chips, potato chips, peanuts, and coconut.
In a small bowl, combine the condensed milk and espresso powder and whisk with a fork or wire whisk until smooth. Pour this mixture evenly over the top layer of coconut in the baking dish.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is browned and bubbly. Let cool completely before cutting into bars directly in the baking dish. You can store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for a week, or refrigerated for 2 weeks.
Say it: DOOL se de LECH eh. The name means a sweet candy made of milk, and it’s a staple all over Latin America, the way Nutella is to most of the world. It has a silky-smooth texture and a sweet, milky caramel flavor. You can pour it over ice cream or yogurt, spread it on toast or saltines or Chickpea Pancakes (this page), stir it into coffee or Hack-uccinos (this page), dip strawberries into it, or make the Dirty Dulce Chill Cake on this page.
MAKES 1¼ CUPS
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Make it on the stove: In a small, deep saucepan with a lid, place the unopened can of condensed milk and fill the saucepan with water so that the can is totally submerged. Cover and bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for exactly 2½ hours.
Let the can cool completely before you open it. Once opened, transfer the dulce de leche to a storage container, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Make it in a slow cooker: Place the unopened can of condensed milk in the center of the slow cooker and fill the pot with water so that the can is totally submerged. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours.
Let the can cool completely before you open it. You can do this with as many cans as will fit in the slow cooker without crowding it.
When I was in elementary school, the cafeteria food was awful, with one exception: One of the cafeteria ladies made homemade apple crumble with vanilla ice cream on Fridays. It made suffering through the stinky fish sticks worthwhile. The apples were sweet but not too sweet and the crumble topping tasted like Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts, which were a universal obsession. I found a recipe for something similar in one of my mom’s cookbooks and tweaked it over and over until it tasted like the cafeteria lady’s. I still make it exactly the same way. Make a batch of topping and keep it in the fridge. When you’re ready to crumble, all you have to do is a quick fruit prep and pop it in the oven. A scoop of ice cream is never out of place here.
MAKES THREE 12-OUNCE MUGS OR ONE 8 × 6-INCH CRUMBLE
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 cups whole berries, chunky unsweetened applesauce, or diced fruit such as peaches or plums
Juice of 1 lemon
Streusel
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup regular rolled or quick-cooking oats
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
Nonstick cooking spray
To bake in mugs: Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cornstarch and stir to blend. Add the fruit and lemon juice and toss to combine. Set aside while you make the streusel.
To make the streusel: In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually pour in the butter and toss everything together with a fork until the mixture forms clumps but is not dry. (Get in there and work it with your fingertips until it’s the right texture.) At this point, the streusel can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Spray 3 large coffee mugs with nonstick cooking spray.
Divide the fruit mixture among the mugs, cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and stir the fruit gently to get the juices distributed. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the streusel over each mug’s fruit to cover it and return the mugs to the oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes more, or until the fruit is bubbly and the streusel is nice and browned.
To bake in an 8 × 6-inch baking dish:Follow the directions above, but bake the fruit for 20 to 25 minutes before you add the streusel, and 20 to 25 minutes more after you add the streusel.
Here is one really good reason to get yourself an electric skillet: You can bake in it. I’ve given the instructions for baking these brownies in both an oven and an electric skillet with steam (see Note), which results in brownies that have the texture of a dense flourless chocolate cake. #BIGYUM. Corn bread and cakes (which don’t need to brown) bake really well in the skillet, too.
MAKES SIXTEEN 1½ × 2¼-INCH BROWNIES
Nonstick cooking spray
1½ sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup all-purpose flour
Bake it in an oven: Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Spray an ⅛-size sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar and whisk vigorously for 1 minute until smooth. Add the vanilla, salt, and eggs and whisk to combine, until the eggs are mixed in. Add the espresso powder and cocoa and whisk until no visible lumps remain.
Use a large spoon or silicone spatula to gently fold in the flour just until no white streaks remain.
Spread the batter into the sheet pan in an even layer (use a silicone spatula to smooth it out if necessary) and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the center is still a bit wobbly (it will firm up as it cools). Let the brownies cool completely, then cut them into whatever size or shape you’re feeling. The brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Bake it in an electric skillet: Place a cooling rack or scrunched up foil in an electric skillet. Pour 1 cup of water into the skillet and heat it to 350˚F.
Follow the directions above (but skip preheating the oven) up until you’ve poured the batter into the sheet pan. Place the sheet pan with the batter on top of the rack, then cover the skillet and bake for 40 minutes.
Uncover and bake for about 5 minutes more, until the edges are firm and the center is still a bit wobbly (it will firm up as it cools). Place the sheet pan on a cooling rack and let the brownies cool completely before cutting with a knife.
NOTE Raising your sheet pan up on a rack or on top of scrunched up balls of foil in the skillet and closing the lid simulates the radiant heat of an oven. And what’s mind blowing is that the temperature inside the skillet is exactly the same as in the oven! So if a recipe calls for baking something in a 350˚F oven, bake it in an electric skillet set at 350˚F (with a rack). The only difference is that the top won’t brown.
I learned the formula for real English shortbread when I was at culinary school in London, and it works perfectly every single time. You need a kitchen scale. It’s 4 ounces (1 part) sugar and 8 ounces (2 parts) butter, then 4 ounces (1 part) fine semolina or rice flour and 8 ounces (2 parts) all-purpose flour. Scale it up or down but always in the same proportions. Brilliant. I’ve converted the recipe from weights to dry measurements so you don’t have to buy a scale. It’s still brilliant and a little box of homemade shortbread makes a thoughtful gift indeed.
MAKES SIXTEEN 1½ × 2-INCH BARS
2 sticks (8 ounces) salted butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup rice flour or fine semolina
Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 275˚F.
In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to combine the butter and ½ cup of the sugar until well blended and creamy.
Add the all-purpose flour and rice flour and stir to incorporate, until the dough is smooth and no streaks remain.
Press the dough into an ⅛-size sheet pan in an even layer and poke the dough several times (every couple of inches) with a fork. Sprinkle the top with an additional 2 tablespoons of sugar, if you like.
Bake for 1 to 1¼ hours, or until the shortbread is set and very pale brown all over. If it isn’t, keep baking until it is, another 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove the shortbread from the oven and, while it’s still in the pan, immediately cut into bars or squares with a sharp knife. Cool the cookies for 15 minutes in the sheet pan before transferring them to a cooling rack or platter to cool completely. The cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Variations
Green Tea and Sesame: Follow the recipe, but use the rice flour instead of semolina. Stir 1 teaspoon of powdered matcha or Chinese green tea powder into the flour before adding it to the butter mixture. Once the batter is spread out in the sheet pan, sprinkle it with white or black sesame seeds and 2 tablespoons of sugar before baking.
Lemon and Fennel: Follow the recipe, but add the grated zest of one lemon and 1½ teaspoons of crushed fennel seeds (put them in a zipper storage bag and bash with something heavy to break them up a bit) to the butter mixture. Use the semolina instead of rice flour. Once the batter is spread out in the sheet pan, sprinkle the batter with an additional 2 tablespoons of sugar before baking.
Coffee and Cardamom: Follow the recipe, but add 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom and 2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder to the butter mixture before adding the flour. Once the batter is spread out in the sheet pan, sprinkle the batter with 2 tablespoons of Demerara or raw sugar before baking.