Fried Ice Cream

Yes, this is decadent and should be shared. This comes from our local "Critics" restaurant, a great place to eat at the Mall at Greece Ridge Center.... coincidentally where I'm bell-ringing tomorrow night???? Can you say:

WELL PLANNED, RUTHY!!!!

:)

For good fried ice cream you should soften ice cream slightly. Using a scoop, form it into balls, then freeze the balls on a cookie sheet until hard. This is best done in a low-temp freezer, so adjust your settings accordingly. And did you know food keeps much longer at 10 degrees than it does at 25 degrees?  Sometimes C-O-L-D is better!

And here's the recipe which is (trademark, of course!) Easy-Peasy:

What you need to make a half dozen or so:

• vanilla ice cream, formed into balls and frozen hard
• 3 cups crushed cornflakes cereal or crushed graham crackers
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 egg whites
• Drizzle of honey
• Chocolate syrup
• Whipped Cream

And here's what you do:

1. Scoop ice cream into 2/3 cup sized balls. Place on baking sheet and freeze until firm. This usually takes a few hours in my house where the upstairs freezers are always being opened for something or other.
2. In a shallow dish, combine cornflakes and cinnamon. Or use the cinnamon graham crackers. Both work delectably. Or use plain graham crackers and add cinnamon. I promise, you will be so in love with the finished product and me that you won't care which you use. 
3. Beat your egg whites until foamy. Roll ice cream balls in egg whites, then in cornflakes, covering ice cream completely. Repeat if necessary. Freeze again until firm, 3 hours. (Now, you can pause here and you're all ready to serve these for a group. They can stay in the freezer and at party tiime or dessert time you just fry and embellish. Or go ahead and make them now!)
4. In deep fryer or large, heavy saucepan, heat oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
5. Using a basket or slotted spoon, fry ice cream balls 1 or 2 at a time, for 10 to 15 seconds, until golden. Drain quickly on paper towels.
6.  Place in bowl, ice cream dish or if you can find or make light, crispy tortilla shells, that's what they use at Critic's restaurant, so yes, on top of this decadence, you can EAT THE BOWL... They use a light tortilla shell that's bowl-shaped and dusted with cinnamon sugar. You can make tortilla shell bowls by frying large tortilla shells wrapped around a can to maintain shape. I don't do this at home. Because that sounds like work. But if you want to serve it on tortilla "leaves", those are just cut triangles of tortilla shell, deep fried until light, crisp and puffy. This is a quick step and just adds to the naughtiness of the overall dessert. As if that could possibly GET WORSE...  ;)
7. Put ice cream ball in bowl.  Drizzle with a smidge of honey. Now drizzle more appropriately with chocolate syrup or hot fudge. Add whipped cream and a cherry if you haven't already eaten them all.

And there you have it. The most amazing dessert on the planet in your very own kitchen. You're welcome!  ;)