I get these urges. Like I have to squeeze a knee or a shoulder or a hand if a hug just can’t happen in that moment (like if I’m driving or they’re driving). I got an urge at lunch to throw a little rice cluster into a bowl of Ramen (channeling pebble tosses in the Detroit River over the summer). And well, the ramen splashed everywhere. (Ack! Sorry man.) I swear, it’s like I’m a kid sometimes. Why didn’t I realize that’d happen?! I once was tossing something around at lunch in high school and I knocked over a bright beverage all over a girl’s khakis… (I mean, they weren’t the cute kind of khakis, but I mean… what’s my deal?)
Speaking of being like a kid, I am crazy about Annie’s Honey Bunnies. I like to eat 4 at a time in a stack. That crunch is what’s up. (I don’t know Annie, but if she’s anything like her grahams we should hang. I just honestly am crazy about these rabbits.) And these lil hun buns are dissolved and blended up in the ice cream base making it the graham-est.
SO! I’ve had the basic idea of this pie ice cream in my phone memo of blog ideas for years. Not as long as I’ve been spilling, splashing, knocking over stuff on people, but for at least 3 years I bet. I attempted it once before and the base wasn’t French Silk enough so I blizzard flavor-ified it.
But then I realized that French Silk Pie ice cream should be this: graham cracker ice cream (because it’s my go-to crust), actual French Silk pie filling (it freezes super cool-like! Not rock solid, totes fluffy, dreamy), with Oreos crumbled inside (as a nod to another crust option). So I feel like this ice cream might be my favorite one to ever exist in my home. I probably should share it at work or something real soon because I think about it a lot, and even ate it first thing this morning (I mean, I couldn’t waste that supermodel cone, right?) So if you love ice cream (and if you don’t, who are you!?) then make this f’real. I promise it’s not very tricky. The components are no biggie, and oh so good, delish, and dreamy.
French Silk Pie Ice Cream (about 1 1/2 quarts)
Base adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream Desserts, Pie from my childhood
Ingredients:
graham cracker ice cream –
- 2 2/3 cups whole milk
- 1 T + 2 t cornstarch
- 2 oz (4 T) cream cheese, softened
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup roughly broken graham crackers*
French silk pie filling –
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
- 3 large eggs
- 1 T vanilla
Mix-ins –
- a few handfuls broken Oreo cookies
*Preferably Annie’s Honey Bunnies. Listen, they’re really good. Totally not sponsored. Totally ate them as a dinner appetizer and a breakfast snack. These days were back-t0-back.
Directions:
- Mix about 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese and salt together with a spatula.
- Combine the remaining milk, cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a 4-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. bring the mixture back to a boil over medium high heat and cook, whisking until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Whisk the hot mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Stir in the broken graham crackers. Allow the mixture to steep for about 3 minutes or until the crackers dissolve. At this point beat with an electric mixer or puree with an immersion blender. Force the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Whisk to cool a bit. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 5 hours or until cooled completely.
- Meanwhile make the French silk pie filling. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment cream the butter. Slowly add sugar and whip until smooth. Blend in chocolate until mixed evenly. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating 5 minutes after each; this is a must! (Skimping on the time will have runny results. It may induce tears.) Add vanilla and mix until combined, scraping the sides. Place mixture in the fridge until time to churn the ice cream.
- Churn graham cracker ice cream in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. Layer in storage containers with French silk pie filling and Oreos. Cover with plastic wrap and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
Yay! Click HERE for a printable pdf of the recipe above.
A cookie present made my day! // Mocha lady date.
Novelty toppers // This ice cream, guys!
BAZONKO. That’s my hand slapping my face in a “I WANT THAT” motion and a “I need to make it!!” rippling through my brain! French silk PIE filling all crazy-pants throughout graham cracker ice cream … man. and i love the photo so much, so holiday-fun. xo
i am completely obsessed with this styling. and these bunnies!!!!
So much fun! I love the trees and bunnies 🙂 And I’m sure I’d love this ice cream too!
This is insane, and I love literally everything about it. The frozen pie filling! The trees! The bunnies! The ice cream! MY GAHD, it’s amazing.
Deer GOd. THIS IS AWESOME and I too love your styling!
This is the best thing I’ve seen on the internet ALL DAY! The ice cream – too die for. And that first photo. Whoa. Amazing!
uhhhh what. i need this right now!!! loved your story by the way.
That is the best looking ice cream cone I have ever seen in my whole entire life.
Oh girl, STOP IT!!! I’m dying for this right now. Graham cracker ice cream mixed in there?!? Swooning hard right now. Thank goodness for your urges.
Yeah, my favorite pie in ice cream form + extras!
I feel so lucky that you shared this ice cream with me and for real it was a dream!! These photos are so damn cute and perfect, too.
Sounds so soooo good! I have always loved crunchy chunks in my ice cream, and when Shari’s Restaurants started making their slices of pie into milkshakes, I went to pie-ice-cream heaven. Can’t wait to try this! (PS, I’m sure that girl forgot allllll about her khakis being spilled on. And the ramen guy, too. I wouldn’t sweat it!)
I love love LOVE the idea for this! It looks absolutely to die for. And the honey bunnies? I’m dying.
Excuse me while I get my ice cream maker…
This is the most brilliant creation! YUM!
I love the fact that you put little trees and bunnies on top. That is kawaii as f***.
Yes to the yes to the yes!
ps. I love the tree decoration!
Oh my goodness, what’s not to like about this ice cream?! And where or where did you get those mini trees? I’m not sure which thing I like better.
Oh my goodness. I am finally catching up on my RSS Feed and this is the most amazingly adorable decorated ice cream cone I have ever seen. The little bunnies and the treeees! I’m excited. Also, I want to try this recipe ASAP, because French Silk pie filling frozen sounds incredible!
Can you leave the mixture in the fridge after the first step for more than 5 hours?
Someone please advise how important this timing is, as I may have to leave it in the fridge for 10-12 hours. Also, do I need to be careful of how long I leave the french silk pie filling in the fridge?
Thanks guys!
What a lovely almost pie-ice cream bowl 🙂
I seriously love every single ingredients here!!!