Simple Fare, Fairly Simple

Yesterday was the birthday of my second born. (Hi Evan!) One thing I've always let my kids do is pick their birthday dessert. I could guarantee that what would be picked by my first son is THIS dessert. He's not a huge sweet lover, but he does love this. And I can't say I blame him. My mom used to make this when I was a kid and I LOVED it. Crunchy, creamy, chocolatey....this dessert has it all! It has the ability to be versatile as well. You can switch up the ice cream flavors...the topping flavors. I think strawberry ice cream and chocolate topping would be heavenly! What about adding some caramel to the mix somewhere? Get creative with this dessert and if you're not adventuresome, stick to the original and you can't go wrong!

Ice Cream Crunch



Crust ingredients:
2 cups flour
½ cup quick oats
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped nuts - any kind
1 cup butter – softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cut butter into all crust ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pat into a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Crumble while still warm.

½ gallon vanilla ice cream - slightly softened
2 jars chocolate ice cream topping

Spread 2/3 of the crumbs onto the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Heat 1 jar of chocolate topping in the microwave until pourable. Drizzle warm topping onto the crumb mixture.

Spread softened ice cream on top of crumbs and chocolate. Spread to smooth. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 of crumbs over ice cream. Warm 2nd jar of topping in microwave until pourable. Drizzle topping over ice cream and crumbs.

Cover with plastic wrap and freeze several hours or overnight. Allow to set for about 10 minutes before cutting.

Here's the goods. I show two 

containers of ice cream because 

I wasn't sure if I'd need two since 

I was making this for company.

 I only used one of them.

 

Combine the flour, brown sugar, 

oatmeal and butter. And nuts! Don't 

for get the nuts. I used chopped, sliced 

almonds because we have a family member 

who is allergic to pecans...which by the way, 

are HEAVENLY in this dessert.

 

Work it until it's combined...

 

..then spread it out. No need to be 

perfect since you're going to crumble it up.

 

Let it cool then crumble. I use a 

spatula to lift it then I use my 

fingers to crumble it up.

 

All done. You don't want teeny-tiny 

crumbles here. Chunky is the name of the game!

Sprinkle 2/3's of the crumbs in a 9x13 pan.

 

Drizzle the warm chocolate topping 

over the crumbs and resist the urge 

to eat it at this point.

 

Make a HUGE ice cream mess because 

you let your ice cream get too soft. Or 

if you don't want to be like me, just slice 

it nice and neat and lay the slices over the topping.

 

Then pour any melted ice cream into the pan.

 

Spread it out nice and even like....

 

Sprinkle the remaining crumbs 

over the softened ice cream.

 

Drizzle the remaining jar of topping 

over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze!