Strawberry icebox cake
Graham crackers, fresh strawberries and soft whipped cream layered and left in the fridge until they turn into a tender, sliceable cake.
- 400 min total
- 30 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 9
- About $1.22 a serving
- 300 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegetarian
Dolly says: Make the full amount. Whatever’s left keeps for tomorrow.
Ingredients
For 9 servings.
- 1 lb strawberries
- 2 cups heavy cream, cold
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 12 graham crackers, full sheets
From your pantry
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Each serving has about 300 calories, 3 g protein, 26 g carbs and 21 g fat, and costs about $1.22 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the strawberries and them, keeping a few of the prettiest for the top.
Hull. Hulling means cutting the green leafy top, and the pale core just under it, out of a strawberry. Slide the tip of a small knife around the stem at an angle and lift it out like a little cone.
How you’ll know: Each berry has a small hollow where the leaves were, with no green or hard white left.
Thinly slice. Thinly slicing means cutting slices about an eighth of an inch thick, roughly two coins stacked. Thin slices cook in seconds and soften fast, which quick dishes need.
How you’ll know: A slice bends a little when you hold it by one edge, and slow, steady cuts beat fast ones.
Slice. Slicing means cutting food into flat pieces of about the same thickness. Even slices cook evenly, so none are raw while others burn.
How you’ll know: Lay a few side by side: they’re close to the same thickness from one end to the other.
Pour the cold cream into a large bowl with the powdered sugar and vanilla.
hard until the cream and holds , about 5 to 7 minutes by hand or 2 minutes with a mixer.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
Thicken. Thickening means cooking a sauce or soup until it’s less runny, by simmering it down or adding something like cornstarch. A thicker sauce clings to food instead of pooling on the plate.
How you’ll know: It coats the back of a spoon, and a line drawn through it with your finger holds its shape.
Stiff peaks. Stiff peaks are whipped cream beaten until it holds a tall shape that stands straight up. It’s firm enough to spread between layers, but whip much past it and it turns grainy, then into butter.
How you’ll know: Lift the whisk and the peak stands straight up without bending, and the cream still looks smooth, not lumpy.
Timer: 5 min
Dolly’s tip: A bowl chilled for 10 minutes first makes it faster. Stop once the peaks stand up, or it turns grainy.Spread a thin layer of cream over the bottom of an 8-inch square pan and cover it with graham crackers, breaking them to fit.
Spread a third of the remaining cream over the crackers and cover it with a third of the strawberries.
Repeat with two more layers of crackers, cream and berries, finishing with cream and the saved slices on top.
Cover and at least 6 hours, until the crackers turn soft and cakey.
Chill. Chilling means putting something in the fridge until it’s cold all the way through. No-bake desserts firm up as they chill, and chilled cookie dough spreads less in the oven.
How you’ll know: It feels cold in the middle, not just on top, and it holds its shape when you cut or scoop it.
Timer: 360 min
Dolly’s tip: Overnight is even better. The crackers drink up the cream and turn tender.Cut into 9 squares and serve cold.
Food safety: Food with mayonnaise, dairy, eggs, cooked meat or cream, like dips, salads and cream desserts, can sit out for 2 hours at most, or 1 hour above 90°F. Keep cold food in the fridge or on ice until serving, and hot food at 140°F or hotter.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop picks a dessert for treat night, puts what you need on the week’s grocery list, and walks you through each step.
