End of Summer Snackable No-Bakes
Peeps, Labor Day is almost upon us and as such, it is (sadly) the unofficial end of summer. However, I will be squeezing out just a little more fun-in the-sun type vibes over the next few days, and maybe even weeks, and I will do so with my fave kind of treats: no-bake desserts! Yes, you have heard me sing their praises for several letters now, but what can I say? In the warmer months, I tend to be a one-trick pony.
And as I mentioned in my last letter of no-bake recipes (wasn’t kidding about the pony-thing) if you’re craving something baked right about now, please consider subscribing to my paid newsletter - it drops in your inbox the first Tuesday of every month and costs $50/year or $5/month. Each letter is a deep dive into the cookbook writing process, as I am working on my 4th now, and includes an EXCLUSIVE recipe from the book.
So for this last newsletter of summer, we’ll be celebrating treats that, as Southern Living Magazine described them, “think outside the icebox.” I developed 3 recipes for their August issue and I am sharing them with you here (yes, I know: very kind of me and all that).
This icebox cake is tangy like a classic Key Lime Pie but with layers of Nilla Wafers, both lime and coconut whipped cream and toasted coconut for a bonus crunch, it is so much more than just a citrus situation. It is gorgeous to look at, what with its piped topping, but super easy to assemble (as all icebox cakes should be). The recipe is here.
But if the utterly refreshing (and delicious) combo of lime and coconut is not your jam, this berry tiramisu might be right up your alley. Strawberries and raspberries are the star of the show here, and coffee and marsala wine are nowhere to be found. Mascarpone is folded into the whipped cream though, and crisp ladyfingers are in the house (okay, cake), too. There’s a fruity liqueur, too, for soaking the fingers, but OJ works, just as well. The recipe is here.
My final recipe for Southern Living is probably my fave: a chocolate peanut butter icebox cake: chocolate wafer cookies layered with peanut butter whipped cream (slightly sweetened with Marshmallow Fluff) and dolloped with loads more whipped cream is my idea of a dream come true. The cake is coated in chocolate ganache (but you can skip it, if you’re feeling easy-peasy) and yes: Nabisco’s chocolate wafer cookies have been discontinued and I recommend using Oreo Thins as a substitute…they’re not perfect, but they totally do the job. The recipe is here.
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Also, on the off chance that one of the reasons you love icebox cakes (which I am PRAYING you do) is because you love whipped cream and on the OTHER off chance that your love of whipped REAL cream, extends to whipped fake cream (AKA Cool Whip), check this out: I show you how to make an easy dessert with the stuff in the blue tub (aka the whip of the cool).
And finally, a BONUS recipe because there is another cake that makes me think of no-bake baking and that is the Baked Alaska - a dessert of cookie crumbs (or even cake layers) and ice cream topped with loads o’ billowy toasted meringue. I included a recipe for one in my cookbook, The Vintage Baker and you can get the recipe here. And by the way, The Vintage Baker is the Food52 Baking Club’s September book - more on that in future letters!
And I chatted all about Baked Alaska with my pal, Caroline Schiff, on my baking podcast, She’s My Cherry Pie. Listen here for all the scoops.
Alright peeps: that’s it for this letter. Hope these recipes help you celebrate the end of summer, the start of fall and the joy of a three-day weekend.