Gingerbread Pudding Cake a la Mode

• 1 ¼ c. flour
• ¾ t. baking soda
• 1 t. ground ginger
• ½ t. cinnamon
• ¼ t. each: nutmeg, allspice, cloves, salt
• ¼ c. each: unsalted butter (room temperature), sugar
• 2T. beaten egg (from one egg)
• ½ c. each: light molasses, water
• ¾ c. firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 ½ c. hot water
• 5T. unsalted butter, melted
• 8 scoops Blue Bell Gingerbread House Ice Cream (approximately ½ cup each)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Whisk flour, baking soda, spices and salt in a medium bowl.  Beat ¼ cup flour and ¼ cup sugar in large bowl until blended.  Beat in egg.  Stir together molasses and ½ c. water in glass measuring cup.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with molasses mixture, beating to blend between additions.  Transfer to 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle brown sugar over.  Stir hot water and melted butter in 2-cup glass measuring cup.  Carefully pour over top of batter.  Bake until gingerbread is cracked on top and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 45minutes.  Scoop warm pudding cake into shallow dessert bowls.  Add one scoop of ice cream on top of each piece of cake.  Serve immediately.  Makes 8 servings.

Gingerbread House Sundaes with Rum Glaze

• 1/2 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar
• ¼ c. rum
• 2 T. butter
• 1 t. molasses
• 6 scoop Blue Bell Gingerbread House Ice Cream (approximately ½ cup each)
• gingersnaps, optional

Stir together first four ingredients in small sauce pan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes or until brown sugar is dissolved and mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Place one scoop of ice cream into each of 6 small dessert bowls.   Top with warm rum glaze.  Garnish with one or two gingersnaps and serve immediately.  Makes 6 servings.

 Hot Chocolate & Christmas Cookies

• 1 2x2-inch brownie, purchased or homemade
• 1 scoop Blue Bell Christmas Cookies Ice Cream, about ½ cup
• 1 to 2 T. chocolate fudge sauce, warmed
• miniature marshmallows

Serve in a clear glass mug if possible, or use short clear glasses with a wide diameter.  Fit brownie into glass (may have to crumble into pieces.  Top with scoop of ice cream.  Cover ice cream with warmed fudge sauce.  Top with miniature marshmallows. (If you have a kitchen torch, you can lightly toast the marshmallows.)  Serve immediately.  Makes one serving.

Easy Christmas Tree

• 20 scoops Blue Bell Christmas Cookies Ice Cream (will need 2 half-gallons)
• canned whipped cream
• green candy sprinkles
• chocolate candy sprinkles
• yellow candy sprinkles

Using 9-ounce clear disposable cups, place one scoop of ice cream into each of 20 cups.  Top each with whipped cream.  Place on a large tray in the following manner:  Use 15 cups to make a triangle with rows of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 cups.  Sprinkle with green candy sprinkles to make the “tree”.  Place 4 cups at the bottom of the tree (forming a square) to make the trunk and sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles.  Sprinkle the last cup with yellow sprinkles and place on top of the tree for the star.  Serve immediately.  Makes 20 servings.

Notes:  You can add additional rows to the tree if more servings are needed.  Folding green dinner napkins in the shape of the “tree” and placing it under the cups with green sprinkles will help with the illusion.  You could also use green plastic cups for the “tree” portion if available.  Colorful candy-coated chocolate candies can be added to the green cups to look like ornaments.

Peppermint Pie with Chocolate Sauce

For the pie:

• 1½ c. chocolate wafers, crushed
• 1/3 c. melted butter
• 1½ quarts Blue Bell Peppermint Ice Cream, slightly softened
• 3 egg whites
• ¼ t. cream of tartar
• ½ c. sugar
• For the Chocolate Sauce:
• 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ c. butter, cut into pieces

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  In a 9-inch pie plate, combine crushed wafers and butter.  Press mixture against the bottom and side to form a crust and bake 6 to 8 minutes.  Let crust cool completely on a wire rack.  Place in freezer for at least 30 minutes.  Remove crust from freezer and fill with ice cream mounding it slightly in the center.  Return to freezer while preparing the meringue.  In a small bowl with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.  Gradually add sugar, 1 T. at a time, beating well after each addition, until sugar is completely dissolved and whites are stiff but not dry.  Spread meringue over ice cream, sealing it well to the crust.  Place in freezer for at least 8 hours or up to 3 days.  To serve, preheat the oven to 475°F.  Melt chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe dish at low power for approximately 2 – 3 minutes.  Stir until blended and keep warm.  Bake pie in oven about 2 minutes, just until the meringue turns golden.  Drizzle 3 T. of chocolate sauce over pie.  Serve immediately with remaining sauce.  Makes 8 – 10 servings.

Double-Stuffed Peppermint Cookies

• 12 chocolate crème-filled sandwich cookies
• 1 c. Blue Bell Peppermint Ice Cream, slightly softened
• whipped topping, thawed (optional)
• Purchased chocolate ice cream topping (optional)

Gently twist apart each crème-filled cookie, keeping the separated cookies paired together.  Working quickly and using a sturdy small spoon, scoop a rounded teaspoon of ice cream and place it on the crème side of one cookie.  Replace the other side of the crème cookie on top of the ice cream to make a small ice cream/crème-stuffed sandwich.  Place sandwiches on a small tray and cover with foil.  Freeze for 1 to 24 hours.  Remove from the freezer and serve individually (Makes 12 servings.) or stack 3 sandwiches haphazardly on a dessert plate.  Add a dollop of whipped topping and drizzle with chocolate sauce (Makes 4 servings.).

Note:  Substitute chocolate green mint-flavored crème-filled sandwich cookies for a more flavorful and colorful treat perfect for Christmastime.

Ice Cream Cheesecake

Crust:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1             tablespoons sugar
• 2            tablespoons margarine, melted

Filling:

• 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese
• 1 quart Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
• 1 (12 oz.) jar red raspberry preserves
• 1 cup whipped cream topping (or ½ cup whipping cream, whipped)

Combine graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, sugar and margarine and press over bottom and sides of 9” buttered spring form pan.  Chill.

Prepare filling by softening and whipping cream cheese.  Be sure to use chilled bowl and beaters and beat ice cream, adding cream cheese.  Spoon ¼ of cheese mixture over crust.  Drizzle 1/3 of preserves over mixture.  Preserves will sink to bottom.  Repeat with ice cream layer and preserves.  Save last third of preserves for later.  Freeze mixture with curst.  Before serving, add whipped cream topping (or whipped whipping cream) and remaining preserves to top.

Christmas Ice Cream

• ½ gallon Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream
• 1 pound coconut macaroons, crushed
• ½ pound red and green candied cherries, chopped
• ¾ cup slivered almonds
• 4 tablespoons cognac (optional)

Soften ice cream in large mixing bowl.  Add macaroons, candied cherries, almonds, and cognac.  Mix well; store in freezer.  Yield: ½ gallon.

Ice-Cream Eggnog

• ½    gallon Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
• 3            pints whole cream
• 4            cups* brandy, whiskey, or bourbon (liquor of choice)
• Nutmeg

*amount of liquor to your taste