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Cherry Pistachio Ice Cream Pie
Sweet dark cherries and nutty pistachio ice cream meet a crisp, buttery chocolate wafer crust in this stunning frozen dessert. You'll find a hidden layer of bittersweet chocolate painted right over the baked shell, adding a satisfying snap to the creamy, fruit-studded filling. It's an effortless make-ahead treat that looks incredibly elegant but requires very little hands-on work. Just assemble the layers, pop it in the freezer, and you're ready for dessert.
Ingredients
- 30 chocolate wafers, finely crushed (about 1½ cups)
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- ¼ tsp. table salt
- 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 (12-oz.) package frozen dark, sweet pitted cherries (2 cups), thawed and drained
- 1 pt. pistachio ice cream, softened
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the finely crushed chocolate wafers, sugar, melted butter, and table salt in a medium bowl. Press this mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
- 2Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let it cool completely, which takes about 30 minutes.
- 3Place the chopped bittersweet chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Frequent stirring prevents the chocolate from scorching.
- 4Pour 1/3 cup of the melted chocolate into the bottom of the cooled wafer crust and spread it into an even layer. Place the crust in the freezer for 10 minutes until the chocolate sets. This hidden layer seals the crust so it stays crisp under the ice cream.
- 5Chop the thawed cherries coarsely and fold them into the softened pistachio ice cream. Spoon this mixture into the prepared crust and spread it out evenly. Drizzle the remaining melted chocolate over the top. Cover the pie and freeze it for 4 hours until it is completely firm.
Notes
- Make ahead: You can prepare and freeze the entire pie up to 3 days in advance. Just keep it tightly wrapped to prevent freezer burn.
- Tip: Make sure the cherries are thoroughly drained after thawing so their juices don't make the ice cream icy.
- Swap: If you can't find chocolate wafers, graham crackers or chocolate sandwich cookies (with the filling removed) work well for the crust.