Ice Blue Igloo And Penguins Recipes

IGLOO SPREAD WITH CREAM CHEESE PENGUINS

Steps:

• Line 1-quart bowl with plastic wrap. In food processor, place Cheddar cheese, blue cheese, 1 package softened cream cheese, the bacon bits, onions and pepper sauce. Cover and process, using quick on-and-off motions, until thoroughly mixed. Press cheese mixture into bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours but no longer than 48 hours.
• Invert cheese mixture onto upside-down glass plate or pie plate, forming igloo shape. Remove about 2 tablespoons cheese mixture from one side to make 2x2 1/2-inch arched doorway.
• Cut two 3/8-inch slices from end of block of firm cream cheese; reserve. Beat remaining cream cheese and the milk with electric mixer on medium speed until blended and smooth. Frost glass plate and igloo with cream cheese mixture; smooth with spatula. Draw lines across igloo, using toothpick, to look like ice blocks. Cut each reserved cream cheese slice into 4 rectangles. Use 6 to 8 rectangles to form door canopy. Cover loosely and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• To make penguins, cut a slit from top to bottom on each jumbo olive on one side only. Insert about 1 teaspoon cream cheese into olive to fill cavity. Cut carrot into 1/4-inch slices; cut small notch out of each carrot slice to form feet. Press cutout notch piece into center of small olive to form beak (if necessary, pierce olive with small paring knife or toothpick to make a hole). Using a frilled toothpick, stack head (small olive), body (jumbo olive) and feet (carrot slice), adjusting so that beak, cream cheese breast and notch in carrot slice line up. (Penguins will stand better if olives are stacked with larger holes facing downward.)
• To serve, cut flag shape from carrot curl and secure on toothpick; insert into top of igloo. Garnish igloo with rosemary, bell pepper and cream cheese penguins. Serve with crackers.

IGLOO CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheets. Line bottoms with parchment paper; butter parchment. Dust with cocoa powder, and tap out excess; set aside.
• Sift cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add eggs and yolk, 1 1/4 cups warm water, the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix on low speed until smooth.
• Divide batter between prepared sheets. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 16 minutes. Let cool on wire racks 30 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks, and let cool completely.
• Coat an 8 1/2-inch (9-cup) ovenproof bowl with cooking spray. Line with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang. Cut one cake layer crosswise into 4-inch-wide strips, and use to line bowl (there should be no gaps). Cut a 9-inch round from remaining cake layer; set aside.
• One at a time, mix ice creams in the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth. Spread 1 cup vanilla ice cream over cake in bowl; spread 1 1/2 cups chocolate ice cream on top. Continue layering ice creams, alternating 1 1/2 cups of each flavor, stopping 1/2 inch from rim. Press cake over ice cream. Wrap in plastic; freeze overnight.
• Turn out cake onto a 9-inch cake board. Freeze 15 minutes. Spread a thin layer of buttercream (about 1/2 cup) over cake, and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Transfer remaining buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with a basket-weave tip (such as Ateco #898). With smooth side of tip facing you, and starting at top of cake, pipe 1-inch rectangles all over cake. If cake begins to soften, freeze 15 minutes.
• Using marshmallows, make the outline of the door. Using a smaller basket-weave tip (such as Ateco #895), pipe rectangles over marshmallows. Sprinkle sanding sugar all over cake. Freeze until ready to serve, up to 1 day. Attach marzipan penguins to cake with toothpicks, and garnish with coconut "snow."