Description

This Mint Chocolate Icebox Cake is a refreshing no-bake dessert featuring layers of crisp chocolate wafer cookies and luscious mint-infused mascarpone cream. Steeped with fresh mint leaves and topped with dark mint chocolate curls, this chilled treat requires minimal effort but delivers an elegant combination of creamy texture and minty-chocolate flavor, perfect for warm days and make-ahead entertaining.

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Wafer Cookies

1 batch of chocolate wafer cookies (see note)

Mint Cream Mixture

1/2 cup tightly packed fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 oz mascarpone cheese

Topping

2 oz dark chocolate with mint

Instructions

Prepare Mint Sugar: Add the fresh mint leaves and granulated sugar to a food processor and pulse until the mint leaves are finely chopped, infusing the sugar with mint flavor.
Steep Mint Cream: In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream and the mint-sugar mixture. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 20 minutes to extract the mint essence.
Strain and Chill: Strain out the mint leaves from the cream mixture and refrigerate the mint-infused cream until it is completely cool, ideally overnight, allowing the flavors to meld.
Prepare Loaf Pan: Line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap to facilitate easy removal of the cake later.
Whip Mascarpone and Cream: Using an electric mixer, beat the mascarpone cheese on low speed just to soften it. Add the chilled mint-infused cream and continue beating until stiff peaks form, creating a light and fluffy topping.
Assemble the Cake: Spread a thin layer (about 1/2 cup) of the whipped cream mixture on the bottom of the loaf pan, then place a layer of chocolate wafer cookies on top. Trim or break cookies as needed to make a complete layer. Alternate layers of cream (this time thicker at 3/4 to 1 cup) and cookies, repeating until you reach the top, ending with a thin layer of cream. You should have approximately four layers of cookies.
Chill to Set: Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight to allow the cookies to soften and the flavors to blend beautifully.
Prepare Chocolate Topping: Before serving, carefully invert the loaf pan onto a serving platter and peel off the plastic wrap. Using a vegetable peeler or knife, create chocolate curls or chop the dark mint chocolate into small pieces while at room temperature for an attractive topping. If the kitchen is hot, chill the chocolate briefly before shaving.
Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the chocolate curls or chopped chocolate over the top of the cake. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. The dessert will keep loosely covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Notes

The chocolate wafer cookies should be crisp and sturdy to hold the layers but will soften as the cake chills.
Using fresh mint leaves imparts a vibrant flavor to the cream; dried mint won’t provide the same freshness.
Ensure the heavy cream is chilled before whipping to achieve maximum volume and stiffness.
For best results, plan ahead and allow the cake to chill overnight to properly meld flavors and soften cookies.
The dark mint chocolate topping adds a lovely mint-chocolate crunch complementing the creamy layers.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Keywords: mint chocolate icebox cake, no bake dessert, mint chocolate dessert, layered icebox cake, mascarpone dessert