DESSERT: Still too hot to bake? Try Black Forest icebox cake for a sweet treat.
The icebox cake is an ideal dessert for the hotter parts of the year. At its simplest, all you need are cookies, whipped cream, a little assembly and some time in the refrigerator (aka icebox) to create this cool confection. Here, I’ve transformed the classic Black Forest cake into a no-bake dessert that is perfectly suited for summer — or any time of the year.
Black Forest cake is a delightful combination of chocolate cake, whipped cream, cherries and kirsch or kirschwasser, a clear cherry brandy. Instead of chocolate cake, this recipe uses store-bought cookies (though you could certainly bake your own from scratch) that soften as they sit between layers of cream and take on a light and fluffy texture. Thin and crispy cookies, such as the icebox classic Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers, are best in this kind of cake. (In my recipe testing, the 365 by Whole Foods Market Brownie Cookie Thins were easier to source, and one box was just enough for this recipe.)
Instead of a plain whipped cream, I used cream cheese for a tart, more stable cake. It is sweetened with cherry preserves and spiked with kirsch for extra cherry flavor. Kirsch is traditional in this dessert, but you could omit it to make the recipe alcohol-free or if you don’t want to buy an entire bottle of the alcohol just for this recipe. (Though I’ve learned that it makes an excellent adult cherry cola when mixed with Coke or Pepsi.) You could also add a splash of almond extract in its place to complement the cherry flavor.
Fresh cherries are a great option when in season, but thawed, previously frozen fruit will work just fine during other parts of the year.
Aside from whipping cream and pitting cherries (if you’re using fresh fruit), the only other work required is assembling this chocolate and cherry icebox cake. Just add layers of cream, cookies and cherries to a pan and then chill it in the fridge for a few hours. A springform pan is your best bet if you want to attempt clean slices of cake — popping it in the freezer to firm up a bit also helps — otherwise, a large casserole dish, such as a 9by-13-inch pan, works for scooping out more rustic portions. Wait to sprinkle the top with the crushed leftover cookies until just before serving to add a little bit of crunch to smooth cream, softened cookies and firm fruit.