Strawberry Pistachio Ice Cream Dessert (With Fudge Sauce)

While this dessert has a few steps that will take a little time, and it's also a little pricey to make, it is the perfect dessert to serve at your Christmas Day dinner. It makes a big, heavy pan that will feed many, is a fancy presentation with the pretty red and green layers, and is so very delicious:

Strawberry Pistachio Frozen Dessert
Filling:
1 quart strawberry ice cream
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1 pkg. instant pistachio pudding mix
1-1/2 c. half and half
1 t. vanilla

Crust:
1-1/2 c (container) store-bought chocolate chip cookies
1 c. finely chopped pistachios or walnuts
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 stick melted butter

Fudge Sauce:
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 c. butter
1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 c. evaporated milk

Line a cakepan with aluminum foil making sure it's up all sides of the pan. In a large baggie or food processor, crush the entire package of store-bought cookies. Mix them together in a bowl with the powdered sugar, chopped pistachios/nuts and then the melted butter:


Press the crust into the bottom of the lined pan with the back of a spoon. Freeze for 30 minutes. While it's freezing, set the strawberry ice cream in the fridge to let it soften.


Press the somewhat-softened strawberry ice cream (the entire quart) onto the frozen crust with the back of a spoon, smoothing it until it's even. Cover and return to freezer for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, set the vanilla ice cream into the fridge to soften:


In a medium bowl, mix together the half and half, vanilla, and pudding mix until well blended. Add to this the somewhat-softened quart of vanilla ice cream and beat with an electric mixer until smooth:




Spread the pistachio ice cream over the strawberry layer. Smooth with a spoon until even:


Cover tightly and freeze for at least 4 hours. Set out for a bit before eating to let it soften. Serve with this delicious fudge sauce (you can make this sauce ahead and refrigerate it. Heat it up slightly and pour onto the dessert when ready to eat!):

For the fudge:
In a med. saucepan, mix together the chocolate and butter and melt on medium heat. To this, add the vanilla, powdered sugar, and evaporated milk, mixing well. Bring to a soft boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Stirring constantly, continue to heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and sauce will thicken as it stands. What a beautifully delicious Christmas dessert!


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