I’m a Brownie dropout, but I like to support the cause (A Post by Molly)

I had a very brief stint as Girl Scout. Yeah, I know, a renegade like me getting tied down to a troop, pretty unbelievable, right? I joined up in ’04 and gracefully submitted my resignation in ’05. That was one crazy year. I left with nothing but the barely filled sash on my back and the worst cookie sales record Franklin Elementary had ever known.

I come by my lack of scouting skills honestly. A Brownie leader once escorted my aunt from a troop meeting by her ear lobe and asked her never to return. Still, we like to support the girls and we try to buy a good supply of cookies every year to help the cause. It’s a struggle, but it’s all for them.

This year we laid in an impressive stash and I listened as my parents made their annual declaration that they wouldn’t be eating any cookies this year. Then, I watched my mom turn a simple box of Peanut Butter Patties into a decadent brownie feast. Later, she topped a banana cake with fudge frosting and Caramel deLites. I got in on the action and made my famous Thin Mint Ice Cream Cake.

We won’t get a badge for these creations, but I’m not in it for the Brownie points anymore. I’m in it for the brownies.

Thin Mint Ice Cream Cake

Mint Ice Cream:

1½ cups milk

¼ cup sugar

2 tsp. peppermint extract

3 drops green food coloring

3 egg yolk

1. Bring milk, sugar, peppermint, and food coloring to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Quickly whisk in egg yolks and let simmer until mixture thickens.
2. Pour into a freezer safe bowl and allow to cool (if you have an ice cream maker, you can just use that for the next steps). Place the uncovered dish in the freezer.
3. Every 30-45 min remove dish from freezer and whisk mixture thoroughly (this can be done by hand, with an immersion blender, a hand blender, or even a regular blender). Repeat until mixture has set. Pour into a mold (I used old circular Tupperware takeout dishes, just make sure you have a second mold that’s the exact same for the chocolate layer). Let freeze overnight.

Chocolate Ice Cream:

1½ cups milk

¼ cup sugar

¹/₃ cup semisweet chocolate chips

3 egg yolk

1. Bring milk, sugar, and chocolate to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Once all of the chocolate is melted quickly whisk in the egg yolks, continue to simmer until the mixture thickens.

(repeat steps 2-3 of the Mint Cream recipe for this recipe).

Thin Mint Filling

1 cup water

½ cup sugar

¼ cup cocoa powder

2 tbs. corn starch

2/3 cup crushed thin mints

1. In a small saucepan bring all the ingredients, except the thin mints, to a boil. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Mix thin mints thoroughly in with the chocolate syrup.

Assembly

1. Remove chocolate ice cream from its mold onto a cold plate. Spread a generous helping of filling on top. Carefully remove mint layer from its mold and place on top of the chocolate layer.
2. Decorate with crushed and  whole thin mints.