Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Frozen Pudding Cream Cake with Candy Bar Crunch Topping



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is an easy dessert that demands more time than talent from its cook. It is also one of those desserts that people either love or hate. As far as I've been able to determine, the recipe first appeared in Taste of Home Magazine where it was called Pistachio Cream Dessert. How simple is it? Instant pudding is mixed with softened ice cream and then poured into a crumb crust and refrozen. Once it's set, the cake is covered with whipped topping and sprinkled with crushed candy bars. Now, I must tell those of you who are inwardly groaning that it's not that bad a dessert. It may never be your favorite, but lots of people love it and, should you decide to make it, your reputation won't be tarnished. It's important to know that in addition to pistachio, coconut, banana or butterscotch pudding can also be used to make the dessert. Pistachio is my least favorite of the flavors, but its lovely green color is visually stunning and makes for a great presentation. I personally love to make this using banana pudding. You can also vary the type of crumbs used to make the cake base and any candy bar that has a bit of texture can be used for topping. I don't much care for whipped topping, but I found that when it's folded into an equal measure of lightly beaten cream my arguments against it tend to fade. This is a rich dessert that keeps well. I think those of you who try it will think it worth the time it took to make. Here's the original recipe.

Frozen Pudding Cream Cake with Candy Bar Crunch Topping...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients:
1 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers
1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup cold 2% milk
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant pistachio pudding mix
1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 packages (1.4 ounces each) Heath candy bars, crushed

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2) Combine cracker crumbs and butter in a small bowl. Press into an ungreased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
3) Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Stir in ice cream; pour over crust. Cover and freeze for 2 hours or until firm.
4) Spread with whipped topping; sprinkle with crushed candy bars. Cover and freeze for 1 hour or until firm. Yield: 9 servings.







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You might also enjoy these recipes:
Pistachio Gelato - Sydney's Kitchen
Apricot and Pistachio Galette - Cook Sister!
Bacon Pistachio Cookies - Jane Deere
Pistachio and Dark Chocolate Butter Cookies - Baking Bites
Pistachio Cherry Chip Cookies - Kitchen Gypsies

53 comments :

Katarina said...

This sounds and looks really delicious!

Tanna said...

Mary, if you say it's good, I KNOW it's good!! It looks delicious!

Maris (In Good Taste) said...

This sou8nds sensational and perfect for this heat wave!

Caroline B. said...

This is a great gourmet recipe that can be used in a temperature increase, which will satisfy the most demanding of us. Fantastic Mary! Have a nice day! Caro

Rita said...

Another great suummer dessert, i ma keeping for my kid's vist next week; thank you!
Rita

Anonymous said...

perfect store cupboard dessert for unexpected guests :)

Yvonne @ StoneGable said...

I want to scream.... not fair, not fair! Sharing without being able to eat a crumb of this most delicious creation! I guess I will have to make it myself... but I really want it now! This is a keeper recipe.
Yvonne

Anonymous said...

Looks and sounds delicious, Mary! What a perfect dessert now that the summer heat is in full swing.

Unknown said...

Thanks to my dad, I have a huge love for pistachio pudding :) This sounds delightful!! I'll have to make this for my parents when they come to visit in October.. my dad will be in heaven!! Thanks for sharing :)

Kim said...

It's a fresh dessert that certainly can please me. With the hot temperature here, it's the perfect complement to a meal. Have a good day, MAry!

Emily Malloy said...

PERFECTION!!

Little Inbox said...

It looks very good! Lovely dessert.

MerryJohnson said...

Wow !What an amazing blog.
One of the best blog.
Its awesome.
Nice blog on cake supplies.
Keep going...

Diane said...

Oh boy, do you come up with some yummy recipes. I have to agree with MerryJohnson :-) Diane

Epicurea said...

pudding AND ice cream in one dessert? yumm!

Anonymous said...

Perfect treat for the heat!
Karen

Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook said...

This looks really good, and perfect dessert for the heat we are having!

Val @ Mental Chew said...

Yum! I am going to try banana pudding with strawberry ice cream and fresh berries on top. Thanks!

Jihane @ Sinful Sundays said...

Perfect cake for a hot summer day! It looks delicious. =)

Penny said...

With this heat wave hitting so much of the country, this dessert would be just the thing to keep us cool. Thanks Mary.

Chiara said...

This looks really delicious Mary! have a good day....

lena said...

oh gosh, i wish i can just have a piece of this! Funny, this is the 3rd ice cream related post i'm looking at tonight!

Heather S-G said...

This is definitely an eye-catcher...and I do love that you can switch it up and make it a whole new dessert w/ different flavors. I am a pistachio fan, so it looks good as-is to me :D

That Girl said...

Pudding cakes, cool whip cakes, cashes with crushed candy all remind me of the tests my friends always had at their homes. It was like pulling teeth to even let me make things like "dirt" in our house, and that's just pudding, oreo, and cool whip!

Melinda said...

This is just what is needed on these HOT days we are having!
Looks yum.

Melinda

Joanne said...

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this but it's definitely worth a try!

Eileen said...

It sounds like one of those desserts that kids would love. :)

Reshmi Mahesh said...

Looks awesome...perfect for heat..

Ginny Hartzler said...

I think it looks very good! I would use the butterscotch flavor, but I agree that the pistachio looks much prettier!

Anonymous said...

I think it is so pretty... and i love pistachio...

Unknown said...

Wow, this looks so refreshing and so........ yummy! Delicious sounding combinaiton!!

nanny said...

Looks wonderful....I'll bet it tastes just as great!!!

Jocie's Mom said...

Who WOULDN'T like this dessert? It looks pretty amazing to me. I love the little crumbly candy!

RATOLINHA said...

Oh Mary!!!
Que maravilhoso ficou.
Lindo!
beijo

PeggyR said...

Oh my this is my kind of dessert.

Lenia said...

What a wonderful dessert!I love it!

JG said...

Banana flavored would be delicious! Perfect for summer!
~Judy

A Bitchin' Kitchen said...

This entire dessert looks delicious, but it's the Heath bar topping that truly wins me over. Heath bars are one of the only mass produced candy bars that I really like!

- Maggie

Alessandra said...

I don't know what an instant pistachio pudding mix would be, but I can just look at the picture and invent something of that sort :-). Is the inspiration that counts for me :-).

I hope that you are having a good (and warmer) day.

ciao
Alessandra

Anonymous said...

I bet you one bite of this would take me over my allotted calories for the day!!! It looks so decadent!

QembarDelites said...

Definitely makes a good presentation with this...lovely color!

Pondside said...

It may not be gourmet, but a dessert like this is the one that will get all the oohs and aahs at a potluck and it's the one that will disappear in a couple of minutes.

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

I haven't made this dessert (that I love) in years. Maybe it is time for a comeback.

Fondly,
Glenda

Kim said...

Mary- I love and appreciate the way you share you insight with regard to your recipes. I can tell that you put a lot of thought into your posts and always enjoy reading them.


This dessert would be a winner in my home. We love creamy treats like this.

Unknown said...

Oh My Gosh! I need to make this like yesterday! Yum!

Elin said...

Mary...this is one lovely dessert I would love to have...perfect for a hot day !

Karen (Back Road Journal) said...

I know who will like this recipe...all my children. Butterscotch pudding is a favorite of theirs, so I will go from there and do a poll for what the topping should be.

What's next said...

sounds yummy and cool!

Lucie said...

Sounds like a great recipe for a quick, crowd-pleasing dessert!

Hazel - Chicken in a Cherry Sauce said...

My roommate was addicted to banana pudding, I had never thought of freezing it! Looks great with the candy bar topping!

The Harried Cook said...

This sounds really good! Perfect for this heat we've been having... Thanks for sharing!

Becki (Becki's Whole Life) said...

I think that every recipe you post leaves me hungrier than the one before. I love TOH, I have been reading it since it came out when my mom had a subscription. Their frozen desserts like this are always wonderful. Since pistachio is my favorite pudding this really hit home. The butter cracker crust is interesting - I bit it's divine.

Jamie said...

Mary, what I love about this (besides that it is ice cream) is that it is just the kind of dessert my dad would make for us. And pistachio pudding was his favorite. This brings back such wonderful memories for me.

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