Classic frozen pop from childhood remade as a pie
Let's get one thing clear - I am not proud of this recipe.
And if it weren't so ridiculously good, I'd be too humiliated to share it. But it is and so I am...
It all came about because I was chasing a childhood taste memory. I wanted the creamy-sweet richness of a Creamsicle, but I wanted it as a beverage. I did - albeit only momentarily - consider melting the real deal, then pouring it over ice, perhaps adulterating it with an adult beverage. But that seemed kind of gross.
After a few misfires, I settled on combining a high-end orange soda with vanilla ice cream in the blender, then pulsing until smooth, but still milk shake-thick. It was simple. It was kind of stupid. It was crazy delicious.
Then I got inspired. What if after the soda and ice cream were blended, the mixture was poured into a pie crust? And what if you then refroze the entire thing? And what if you then topped the resulting ice cream pie with a massive mound of whipped cream spiked with orange zest?
What happens is you get a double orange-cream ice cream pie. And though the recipe is kind of trashy - OK, really trashy - I love it. And you will, too.
• J.M. Hirsch is the food editor for The Associated Press. He blogs at http://www.LunchBoxBlues.com. Follow him on Twitter @JM-Hirsch. Email him at jhirsch@ap.org.