Peppermint Bark Ice Cream Cake

Place a KitchenAid mixer ice cream bowl in the freezer for at least 24 hours before starting the recipe.

Line an 8-by-4-inch (20-by-10-cm) loaf pan with parchment paper, letting it overhang on the two long sides of the pan by at least 2 inches (5 cm). You’ll use this as a sling to unmold the ice cream cake when serving. Line the pan, over the parchment paper, with plastic wrap, making sure to line all four sides and the bottom and reaching into the corners.

To make the raspberry sorbet layer, using a small offset spatula, spread the sorbet in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan, spreading it into the corners. Place in the freezer while you prepare the peppermint ice cream.

To make the peppermint ice cream, in a saucepan over medium heat, warm the half-and-half until bubbles form around the edge of the pan; do not let it come to a boil. Remove from the heat.

Set a large bowl on a damp paper towel to secure it to the counter. Combine the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl, then vigorously whisk until blended, slightly thickened and pale yellow in color, about 1 minute. While whisking constantly, gradually add the warm half-and-half until combined.

Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until small bubbles form around the edge of the pan and the mixture is steamy and thickened slightly, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Do not let it come to a boil.

Transfer the half-and-half mixture to a clean large bowl; if you had overcooked the mixture to the point where pieces of cooked egg are visible, pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into another large bowl before continuing. Stir the cream, peppermint extract and salt into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Attach the frozen KitchenAid mixer ice cream bowl and the rotating dasher to the stand mixer. Set the mixer on medium-low speed (3 to 4) and, with it running, pour in the chilled peppermint mixture. Let the mixer run until the mixture reaches the consistency of soft-serve ice cream, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the peppermint candy.

Using an offset spatula, spread the peppermint ice cream in an even layer on top of the raspberry sorbet. Freeze for 1 hour, then check the peppermint ice cream for frozenness. If the surface is solid, proceed to the next step. If an indent forms in the ice cream when you gently press on it with your finger, it’s too soft, so continue to freeze until solid.

To make the Peppermint Bark layer, using a sharp knife, carefully trim 1/4 inch (6 mm) from one of the long sides of the Peppermint Bark, and trim 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) from one of the short sides. Place the sheet of Peppermint Bark on top of the peppermint ice cream so that the peppermint side of the bark touches the ice cream.

Freeze for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. After freezing, the cake can be wrapped with plastic wrap and kept frozen for up to 3 weeks.

When ready to serve, make the meringue: In the regular bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 6 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar about 1 Tbs. at a time. Increase the speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form and the meringue is shiny, 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove the ice cream cake from the freezer. Using the overhanging parchment, loosen and pull the cake partway out of the pan but do not remove it completely. Invert the cake onto a serving platter. Spread the meringue over the cake and use the back of a spoon to create swooshes and texture in the meringue. Using a kitchen torch according to the manufacturer’s instructions, toast the meringue until lightly browned. Cut into slices and serve immediately. Serves 8 to 10.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen