Peppermint Ice Cream Dessert

Okay, this is Jenny G.'s recipe, so she gets all the credit! She brought it to recipe club a couple of years ago. I promised some of the girls I would post it, though. This is my all-time favorite dessert! Dave and I have made it a Christmas Eve tradition now. I also made it on St. Patrick's day this year--to make it green, I just substituted the peppermint ice cream with mint chocolate chip, and substituted the crushed candy canes with Andes mints.

Karin Dance :)

1 box Nilla Wafers, crushed (set aside about 1/2 cup for the top)
1 stick butter, melted
1 qt. peppermint ice cream, softened
1/2 C butter
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
3 egg YOLKS, beaten well
1 1/2 C sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C chopped walnuts
3 egg WHITES (room temp, beaten until stiff peaks form)
crushed candy cane

Crush Nilla wafers (save 1/2 cup for later) and add melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 oven dish. Spoon softened ice cream on top. (I buy ice cream in the box, leave it out to get soft, tear open the box, cut ice cream into thin rectangular pieces, and then shape them into a layer over the crust. Make sense???). Freeze.

Melt 1/2 C butter and chocolate over low heat. Gradually stir in egg YOLKS. Add powdered sugar, nuts, and vanilla. Cool completely. Fold whipped egg WHITES into chocolate mixture. Pour on top of frozen ice cream (make sure chocolate is not warm). Top with reserve crumb mixture and crushed candy cane. Freeze COMPLETELY--I learned that I need to be more patient because it's much tastier when it's fully frozen.

Enjoy!