This Valentine’s Day, we’re taking on a new mantra: “Keep it simple & make it elegant.” After all, who wants to be stressed out on Valentine’s Day (or any week day, for that matter)? And if the idea of making a full-blown, home-cooked meal for your special someone sounds a bit daunting, try picking one course and just make them a delicious and easy icebox cake, using our Sweet Heat Double Chocolate Chip Cookies. The little kick of cayenne and sweet cinnamon in the Sweet Heat cookies are the perfect counterpoints to the cold, whipped cream layers in this recipe.  Note that those flavors are also aphrodisiacs… (we might have just made that up, but let’s go with it)!

An icebox cake may sound like a thing of the past, but our ancestors really knew how to keep dessert “simple and elegant” with this timeless recipe. These cakes are sort of like a dessert lasagna: you alternate layers of whipped cream and cookies in the pan then leave it in your “icebox”, aka fridge, overnight to let the flavors and textures meld together. Icebox cakes are a perfect recipe to make in the middle of summer when it’s just way too hot to turn on your oven…or for Valentine’s Day when you’re trying to impress your Sweetie & don’t want to be baking all day.

For this recipe, the only work you’re doing is making the whipped cream. You can do this by whisking the whipped cream up in a bowl or by using a hand or standing mix master. Once your whipped cream is made, spread a dollop of cream on the bottom of your pan so that the first layer of cookies has something to anchor on to. Assemble the rest of the cake by alternating layers of cookies and whipped cream, leaving a little extra whipped cream to decorate the top. This cake should be made the day before so that it can firm up in the fridge for at least 24 hours before serving.

Sweet Heat Icebox Cake

Makes one 10 inch springform pan

Ingredients:

3 cups heavy cream

3 tablespoons confectioner sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

A pinch of salt

3 boxes Sweet Heat Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Method:

1. Using a hand or stand mixer or whisk, whip the heavy cream with the confectioner sugar, salt and vanilla extract until soft peaks form (about 3-4 minutes with a mixer)
2. In a 10 inch springform cake pan, spread a layer of whipped cream on the bottom of the pan. Top with a layer of cookies. Continue layering cream and cookies, finishing with a layer of cream, until all the cookies are incorporated.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for overnight
4. With the leftover whipped cream, you can decorate the top of the cake by transferring it to a pastry bag and piping directly onto the finished cake.

Enjoy!