Ultimate Salted Caramel and Pretzel Icebox Cake {No Bake}

It's hard to believe that the base of this cake is essentially made with two ingredients. It's a wafer cookie and whipped cream dream that is the perfect summer time treat because it's a quick no bake dessert.

It's kind of the perfect canvas for some over the top toppings. A few salted pretzels, some Godiva Chocolate pieces and life changing Salted Caramel Sauce. Perhaps even world-changing Salted Caramel Sauce. It's seriously that good.

Something kind of magical happens with this cake. It goes into the fridge as a stack of layered cookies and whipped cream and comes out as a soft and sweet cake. It takes merely minutes to assemble, is a make ahead dessert and looks like a million bucks. All of this chocolate loving goodness and I didn't spend a moment near the oven. This seems too good to be true friends, but I assure you, you will be as gobsmacked as me the first time I made this, at the ease with which this cake is prepared.

Impress your guests with it and we'll keep this information just between us.

There are so many possibilities with this confection that I had a hard time deciding on a flavor this time. It's the Salted Caramel Sauce that got me. Drizzled atop fluffy whipped cream, chocolate chunks and salty pretzels? I'm in! I have to limit the times that I make this sauce because I absolutely obsess about it until every drop is gone. Perhaps the caramel sauce drizzled on my breakfast toast was my first indication that I may have a problem. Or the kids staring at me, mouth agape as I did so, that was a bit of an eye opener. Oh but that sauce!

The cake can be layered individually as mini cakes, in a rectangular pan or on a platter as I've done here. I simply layer cookies and cream, kind of eye-balling for level layers, until I run out of ingredients. The whole cake can be iced, once chilled, with a layer of whipped cream but I usually choose to skip this step. It is also equally as good with fresh seasonal fruit on top. Think of digestive cookies with brown sugar whipped cream and fresh peaches. Or vanilla wafers with mascarpone whipped cream and dark sweet cherries. How about more chocolate layers with a mocha whipped cream and chocolate shavings? Ginger cookies with cinnamon whipped cream and pears?

Friends, I do believe I have an Icebox Cake book in me just dying to get out.

Happy summer everyone,

Renee

xo

Icebox Cake

• 3 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• approx. 2 packages of chocolate wafer cookies
• salted pretzels for garnish
• Godiva Milk Chocolate Bar, 100 gr, broken into pieces
• Salted Caramel Sauce for drizzle (recipe below)

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the whipping cream and whip until foamy. Add the powdered sugar and whip until soft and billowy and soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.
2.  On a platter, start with a thin layer of whipped cream. Top with a layer of wafer cookies. Continue to layer whipped cream and cookies, making sure to leave enough whipped cream for the top layer. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight for best results. Before serving top with pretzels, chocolate pieces and caramel sauce.

Easy Salted Caramel Sauce

*Cooking Channel TV

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp sea salt

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium-low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium- high and bring to a boil, without stirring. Use a wet pastry brush to wash down any sugar crystals on the side of the pan if you need to. Boil until the syrup is a deep amber color, about 7 minutes.
2. Remove mixture from the heat and very carefully whisk in the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble a lot but keep mixing. Stir in the unsalted butter, and salt. Bring back to the stove on low heat and stir until you have a smooth sauce. Allow the caramel to cool. The salted caramel sauce will keep in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Reheat for a few seconds before drizzling.