I make cakes from scratch. I make ice cream from scratch. Yet, until this summer, I’d never made an ice cream cake. That all changed when I had a Saturday afternoon to kill, an excess of oranges, heavy cream and bittersweet chocolate in my kitchen, and the bowl of an ice cream maker taking up valuable space in my freezer. Perfect time to try my hand at an Orange-Bittersweet Chocolate ice cream cake.

Origins of icebox desserts

People have enjoyed some version of an ice cream cake since at least the 19th century. It was during this period that iceboxes became more commonplace. Filled with blocks of ice, these wooden cabinets were used to store perishable foods. Along with extending freshness and preventing spoilage, iceboxes inspired an array of frozen desserts, including a precursor to the ice cream cake, the bombe. This Victorian era treat featured a fruity custard encased in layers of ice cream and, occasionally, cookies or cake. Frozen in a spherical mold, the bombe was sliced and served with a sweet sauce.

Orange & chocolate, the perfect pair

Because this was my first attempt at an ice cream cake, I kept things simple. No custards. No elaborate molds. No fancy layers. The only complex aspect is flavor. In my concoction rich, luscious bittersweet chocolate balances out the tart sweetness of fresh orange juice. It’s a classic pairing and one that works well in the following recipe.

Can’t track down chocolate cookies or wafers for the crumbs in your crust? You can always open a package of Oreos, scrape out and discard the filling and then blitz the cookies in the bowl of food processor or blender. For two cups of cookie crumbs, you will need almost the entire 14.3-ounce package. Just find a friend who loves the center of these sandwich cookies and a bread knife and get to work.

Orange-Bittersweet Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

If you’re using an electric ice cream maker, be sure to freeze the bowl overnight before making the ice cream portion of this recipe.

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

for the crust:

2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (see entry above for cookie info)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

¼ cup granulated sugar

for the ice cream:

2 cups heavy cream

3 cups whole milk

1 cup granulated sugar

Grated zest of 1 orange

¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 2 large oranges)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

for the topping:

1 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup granulated sugar

Grated zest of 1 orange

Directions

Lightly grease an 8-inch springform pan.

To make the crust, stir the cookie crumbs, melted butter and sugar in a medium bowl until the crumbs are coated in butter. Spoon the crumbs into the springform pan and pat into place. You want the crust to extend up 1-inch from the base of the pan but not reach the top of it.

Place the crust in the freezer for a minimum of 45 minutes.

While the crust is setting, make the ice cream. In a large bowl mix the heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, orange zest and juice, and vanilla. Stir the ingredients together until the sugar has melted.

If you’re using an ice cream maker, pour the ingredients into the frozen bowl, turn on the machine, and churn the ingredients until a fairly thick ice cream forms. Depending on your ice cream maker, this could take as little as 25 minutes or much longer. Once you’ve achieved this consistency, add the bittersweet chocolate and stir or churn to combine.

If you are making the ice cream by hand, pour the ingredients into a large, shallow pan. Put the pan in your freezer for 35 minutes. After 35 minutes stir the ingredients together and return the pan to the freezer. Repeat this process until you have a fairly thick, but not completely frozen, ice cream. At that point, add the bittersweet chocolate and stir to combined.

Remove the crust and ice cream from the freezer. Using a spatula, evenly spread the ice cream over the crust. Cover the ice cream with a sheet of plastic wrap and place the cake back in the freezer for 30 to 60 minutes.

Once the ice cream has frozen, make the top layer of the cake. In a large bowl beat the cream, vanilla and sugar together until stiff peaks form.

Using a spatula or icing knife, evenly spread the whipped cream over the ice cream. Sprinkle orange zest over the top of the whipped cream and return the cake to the freezer for at least 60 minutes.

To loosen the cake from the pan, soak a dish towel with hot water and then wrap it around the outside of the pan. Using a thin-bladed knife, gently cut around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Unlatch and remove the top of the springform pan. Slice and serve.