Need a knock-out dessert for a non-baker. I gave her Meryl's Ice Box Cake last year

marilynfl

Moderator
and that was a big hit. So she's comfortable with that level of expertise.

I suggested something along the same line, but with lemon curd and whipped cream.

Normally, I would jump right to the T&T section, but I want her to succeed with this (first Thanksgiving with her family with her new fiancé (both are from China). She wants "traditional" by which she means American traditional.

Oh, and she hates pumpkin.

There's your challenge.

PS: She was really excited to learn that someone had already purchased a bread maker for their wedding registry that baked...macarons.

Yes, I paused too.

Then I had a lengthy one-sided explanation about how she would still have to mix the dough and pipe the dough and then putting it in a bread machine box that baked it for you was the same as using an oven.

As I stated early....a non-baker (who loves macarons.)

 
Can't get much easier than this---REC: Icebox Chocolate Cheesecake...

Icebox Chocolate Cheesecake

Recipe By: Food & Wine
Serving Size: 8

Summary:

Grace Parisi brilliantly layers chocolate cookies with a quick mix of cream cheese, chocolate syrup and a little water. The cookies soften as the cake chills overnight for a perfectly moist, chocolaty “cheater’s” cheesecake.

Ingredients:

70 Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers (from 2 packages)
Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup chocolate syrup, such as Hershey’s

Directions:

1. Put 20 of the chocolate cookies (reserving 50 whole cookies) into a zippered plastic bag and, using a rolling pin, crush them to fine crumbs. Line an 8-inch round cake pan with enough plastic wrap to extend by 4 inches all around.

2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese at high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the chocolate syrup and 1/4 cup of water and beat the chocolate cream for 2 minutes.

3. Arrange 9 cookies in an overlapping ring on the bottom of the prepared cake pan and place 1 cookie in the center. Spoon one-fourth of the chocolate cream (about 1 1/4 cups) over the cookies, being careful not to disturb them. Repeat with the remaining cookies and chocolate cream, ending with a layer of 10 cookies on top. Fold the plastic wrap over the top of the cake. Lightly tap the pan once or twice on a work surface. Refrigerate the cake for at least 8 hours and preferably overnight.

4. Peel back the plastic wrap and invert the cake onto a serving plate. Carefully peel off the plastic wrap. Press the cookie crumbs onto the side of the cake to coat evenly. Cut into wedges and serve.

Notes:

Make Ahead The plastic-wrapped cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

 
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