If my memory serves correct, it was back in the Christmas of 2010...the presents patiently awaited us under the beautifully lit tree, the fire was on, and the snow was piled high outside. We had just finished our Christmas dinner at home with our parents and were basking in the gluttony of the season when out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mom pull something out of the freezer. Immediately my mind began to race...wondering what could possibly be coming next. It was, in fact, time for dessert; however, it never usually came out of the freezer (unless of course it was our Mom's birthday special: oreo and vanilla ice cream cake with chocolate fudge topping...but that's a whole other post).
Being as obsessed with food as we are, we did the buttons back up on our pants and approached the kitchen counter. The anticipation was almost unbearable! Mom said, "now this is just something new I tried...I don't really know if it will be good," which is always how she introduces something delicious...so humbly. As she unveiled the masterpiece, we all, in unison, "ooooooh'd" and "awwwww'd" at how stunning it was! It was a cranberry/pistachio/oreo ice cream cake. When you think of a dessert that could in itself BE Christmas, this was it! A dark, crumbly oreo crust, topped with a layer of whipped, vanilla ice cream then a layer of stewed, semi-sweet cranberries, and then ANOTHER layer of ice cream with whimsical swirls of cranberry sauce on top and crushed pistachio pieces sprinkled along the edges. I almost wanted to cry it was so beautiful! The bright, contrasting, Christmas colours were one thing, but the perfectly aligned layers were enough to make the judges on Masterchef give a standing ovation. Mom served us a generous piece and we gathered around the table once more, unbuttoned our pants, and took off on an adventure of flavour.
This dessert had almost every flavour profile. The sweetness of the ice cream and oreo crust were perfectly balanced with the tartness of the cranberries and then you were hit with a hint of saltiness from the pistachios. My taste buds were exploding! The variety of textures only added to the pure joy as you went from soft to chewy to crunchy. I had never had a dessert like this in my LIFE! We're a chocolate-loving family and typically the desserts we have at family dinners are sweet and decadent (not that I mind that...because I don't), but it was a new and incredible experience around the table that night.
BEHOLD! The cranberry/pistachio/oreo ice cream cake!
It's hard to believe your eyes, isn't it? I know. I was there. This dessert goes down as one of THEE most memorable desserts of my life.
Now, onto something completely different...kind of. This next dessert is in a different category of desserts. There is a "Toblerone Cheesecake" category, right? No? Oh...well I'm going to make it a category so this dessert can stand alone as it so deserves. We all know cheesecake is delectable and that Toblerone is the best chocolate bar on earth so naturally, they combine to make the most decadent dessert! My boyfriend's Dad is a professionally trained chef (how SWEET it is!) and made Toblerone Cheesecake this Christmas. Heaven's be praised!
A crumbly, buttery crust...a rich, creamy cheesecake filling...a light dusting of Toblerone shavings on top. Wait, no...CHUNKS UPON CHUNKS of Toblerone pieces! Enough of them to make you wonder how the cheesecake didn't cave in! It was one of those desserts you'd see on display in a bakery and think it was a fake display...only it wasn't fake! It was REAL and I could eat it.
When is next Christmas? Tomorrow?
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