Yep, here’s another junk food you probably didn’t realize had roots in western Pennsylvania. Isaly Dairy Company invented the Klondike and started producing the chocolate-coated bars in Pittsburgh and Youngstown, Ohio, at the beginning of the 20th century. They were a regional treat until the 1980s, when the slogan “What would you do for a Klondike bar?” invaded the nation’s consciousness and the crispy, creamy treats spread to supermarket freezers throughout the country.
Interested in learning more about treats that got their start in Pittsburgh? Klondikes, Chipped Ham & Skyscraper Cones: The Story of Isaly’s by Brian Butko is a fascinating read for all us ’Burgh foodies.
YIELD: 9 bars
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours, plus 8 hours chilling time
DIFFICULTY: 4
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: ice cream maker
VANILLA ICE CREAM
3 cups light cream or whipping cream
1/2 cup (3-1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
CHOCOLATE SHELL
1/2 cup coconut oil
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (a scant 1-1/3 cups)
4 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped (a scant ⅔ cup)
MAKE THE VANILLA ICE CREAM:
Bring the cream to a bare simmer in a 1-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, just until it is steaming and small bubbles form around the edges. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar and vanilla until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until fully chilled (or use the quick-cool method, page 188).
Freeze the chilled ice cream base in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When the freeze cycle is finished, the ice cream will have the consistency of soft serve. Spread it evenly in a 9-inch square freezer-safe baking dish (metal or Pyrex are just fine) and freeze for at least 4 more hours, until fully hardened.
Heat the coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until fully melted. Add both chocolates and stir constantly until they are melted, taking off the heat as necessary to ensure they don’t burn and letting the residual pan heat melt the chocolate. Let the melted chocolate cool enough that it’s still liquid but won’t melt the ice cream at first contact.
Alternatively, the chocolate mixture can be made in advance and stored in a heatproof pint canning jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. To re-liquefy, bring the jar to room temperature, then heat water in a saucepan until it’s as warm as bathwater. Set the open jar upright in the warm water, making sure the water level stays below the lip of the jar, and stir until the chocolate warms and liquefies.
ASSEMBLE THE BARS:
Line a rimmed baking sheet with waxed paper and set a wire cooling rack on top of the paper, within the “walls” of the baking sheet.
Slice the hardened vanilla ice cream into 9 blocks, 3 inches square, and place them on the wire rack. Working quickly, spoon chocolate over the blocks to coat the tops. If the chocolate shell doesn’t completely cover the sides, don’t worry about it. Place the entire baking sheet and rack in the freezer for 15 minutes to harden the chocolate shell.
Remove from the freezer, flip over the half-covered blocks, and spoon chocolate onto the exposed ice cream side. At this point, the entire block should be covered in chocolate. Return the sheet to the freezer for 15 more minutes. When the shell is fully hardened, the Klondike bars can be individually wrapped in foil or waxed paper.
Store the bars in the freezer in an airtight container for up to a month.
OPTIONAL:
To make Klondike Krunch bars, place 1/2 cup Rice Krispies in a zip-top bag, seal, and coarsely crush using a rolling pin or your hands. Sprinkle the crushed cereal on each side of the ice cream squares before spooning on the chocolate.