I picked up this simple, delicious, and very Italian cake on a visit to Angelo Brocato’s ice cream and confectionery in New Orleans. I am sure you will want to make this dessert over and over again. If you are going to freeze it, keep the taste fresh by wrapping it tightly in plastic.

　　

Ingredients

serves 8 to 10

　　

for the crust

12 chocolate graham-cracker sheets, crushed (about 2 1/3 cups)

　　3 tablespoons sugar

　　2 tablespoons espresso powder

　　Pinch kosher salt

　　5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

　　

for the filling

1 quart coffee ice cream

　　2 cups heavy cream

　　2 tablespoons sugar

　　1 cup sour cream

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

　　

Step 2

Grind together the graham crackers, sugar, espresso powder, and salt in a food processor to make fine crumbs. Add the melted butter with the processor running, and pulse just to combine. Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of a buttered 8-inch pie plate, making sure the crumbs are evenly distributed. Bake the crust until crispy, about 10 to 12 minutes, then cool completely before filling.

　　

Step 3

Remove the ice cream from freezer to soften a bit while you make the whipped cream. Whip the cream and sugar in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, to form soft peaks. Add the sour cream, and whisk until just combined.

　　

Step 4

Spread the ice cream in an even layer over the crust. Dollop the whipped-cream mixture on top, and spread upward to a dome shape. Freeze overnight, or until the cream is frozen. To serve, cut with a sharp knife dipped in hot water.

　　Reprinted with permission from Lidia's Italy in America by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2011 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.