Easy icebox tiramisu.Julie Van Rosendaal/The Globe and Mail
Long before social media took the reins on food trends, the introduction of new food products and kitchen appliances inspired waves of recipes to make use of newfangled processed foods and gadgets such as electric ovens, iceboxes and food processors. Cookbooks were published by food and appliance companies to encourage use of their products, and they held highly publicized contests, like the Pillsbury Bake-off. So many recipes originated on the back of a can, box or bag, such as Toll House cookies and pineapple upside-down cake, and still live on. My grandma’s “no-fail pastry” came from a package of Crisco.
When iceboxes (early refrigerators) started to become commonplace in home kitchens, chilled no-bake cakes took off. Said to have derived from the British trifle (cake-fruit-custard-cream), Filipino mango float (layers of graham crackers, sweetened condensed milk, cream and mangoes) and French Charlotte russe (a ladyfinger-lined mould filled with berries and cream), icebox cakes popped up in all forms – mostly combinations of packaged wafer-style cookies softened by whipped or ice cream, often with fruit, chocolate or caramel sauce and other ingredients swirled in.
Perhaps the most famous of the icebox cakes has been the whipped cream-chocolate wafer log: a row of thin Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers, spackled together with whipped cream and refrigerated until the cookies softened enough to slice – the structural essence of most icebox cakes. What made these wafers work so well was their slightly bitter, intensely chocolate flavour. They weren’t too sweet, and balanced all that cream – and their snappy thinness, which allowed them to soften through. In 2023, Nabisco discontinued its iconic wafers just shy of their hundredth birthday, triggering petitions, sit-ins and other protests by consumers who loved them. The closest store-bought substitute seems to be similarly dark chocolate Oreo Thins, though they come sandwiched with icing. (And yes, there are plenty of homemade versions online, if you want to go that far.)
Icebox cakes are decidedly less science-y than baked cakes – more assembly than recipe – so it’s easier to play around: Try swirling fruit compote or lemon curd into whipped cream (or thawed frozen coconut cream) and layering it with crisp, not-too-thick wafer-ish cookies such as Biscoff, gingersnaps, even small, light-textured packaged chocolate chip cookies in a plastic wrap-lined bowl or baking dish – or build a log, or free-form pile, on a platter. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, then invert (if you built it in a dish or bowl) and slice or spoon up to serve.
Easy Icebox Tiramisu
A creamy tiramisu is practically an icebox cake already; traditionally made with ladyfingers dipped in coffee, this version is stacked with bagged amaretti (which also makes it gluten-free). Though mascarpone is traditional, it can be pricey – it’s just as delicious without. If you’re worried about caffeine, decaf instant coffee is great for adding flavour without a caffeine boost.
- 1/2-1 cup mascarpone (optional)
- 2 cups heavy (whipping) cream or 3-4 cups whipped coconut cream
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp instant coffee or espresso granules, dissolved in 1 tbsp water
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 package small amaretti cookies
- Cocoa, for dusting
In a large bowl, whip the mascarpone (if you’re using it) to get rid of any lumps. Add the cream – or just put the cream in the bowl if you’re not using mascarpone – along with the sugar, coffee and vanilla and beat until softly stiff peaks form. (If you’re using whipped coconut cream, thaw it if necessary, and fold in the brown sugar, coffee and vanilla.)
Line a 8x4 or 9x5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap and spread some of the whipped cream on the bottom. Cover with a layer of amaretti cookies, then spread more cream, more cookies, more cream and more cookies, ending with a layer of cookies. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours, or overnight.
Invert onto a serving plate, remove the plastic wrap, smooth the sides and dust the top with cocoa, shaking it through a fine sieve.
Serves 6-8.