HOT IN THE CITY, ICEBOX PIE RELIEF

Today was the first hot summer day. All I could think about was ways to cool down from the inside out. It made me think of icebox pie, something everyone craves on a summer day. Only, I was way too lethargic to attempt to make one. The good thing about frozen pie is that you can make it ahead of time, storing it in the freezer until you're ready for a slice.

Here's a perfectly light frozen pie for any summer occasion... toasted coconut combined with greek yogurt, then topped with fresh blueberries. Recipe by Amy Johnson of She Wears Many Hats.

Frozen Blueberry-Coconut Yogurt Pie
1 cup toasted coconut
3 cups vanilla greek yogurt
1 cup fresh blueberries, washed and dried
1 prepared graham cracker pie crust (*or see recipe below)

1. Combine toasted coconut with the yogurt.
2. Evenly spread mixture into prepared graham cracker crust, top with blueberries.
3. Freeze covered for at least 6 hours. If frozen ahead of serve time, thaw in refrigerator or counter top for about 30-60 minutes before serving. 

The following recipe for Cherries Jubilee Ice Cream Pie is from Cooking Light. The cherries are soaked in a brandy glaze and swirled right in with the ice cream. Sounds like a crowd pleaser. 

Cherries Jubilee Ice Cream Pie

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp brandy

1 (12-ounce) package frozen pitted dark sweet cherries

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (approx. 9 cookie sheets)

4 cups vanilla low-fat ice cream, softened 

1. Preheat oven to 375º F. 
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Cool completely. 
3. *Combine butter and honey in a medium bowl. Add graham cracker crumbs, stirring to blend. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 375º F for 8 minutes. Cool completely. 
4. Place 1/2 cup cooled cherry mixture in a food processor; process until smooth. Place the remaining cherry mixture in an airtight container; cover and chill. 
5. Place softened ice cream in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add pureed cherry mixture, and gently fold in to achieve a swirl pattern. 
6. Spoon mixture into the cooled crust. Cover and freeze 4 hours or until firm. Tom with reserved cherry sauce just before serving. 

And for those of you with dietary restrictions the following icebox pie recipe via Foodie with Family is grain free, gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, and raw. All I can say is wow. The original recipe for this creamy, lemon-lime, mile-high icebox pie came courtesy her friend Joy Hinterkopf. 

These are some preparation notes from Rebecca - 

• There are ranges instead of specific measurements of ingredients i.e. dates - number of dates depend on their size and moisture; the larger the dates the less you'll need. For those recipes with ranges, start with the lower amounts and work your way up, tasting as you go. 
• This recipe can easily be made into individually sized pies. Use small single-serving pie plates to press your crust into and divide the filling between them to make mini icebox pies.
• If you prefer lime over lemon, replace all the lemons with limes. Likewise, if you prefer all lemon to lime, sub in lemons for limes. 
• This recipe can be made vegan by replacing the honey with agave syrup.
• You can use less avocados to make half the amount of filling by using standard pie plate instead of a deep dish one. 
• Don't be tempted to substitute the extra virgin coconut oil with another oil. Part of the alchemy that makes this pie filling so creamy is the viscosity and melting properties of coconut oil. It is creamy and solid at anything under 75º F. It also is mildly flavored compared to other oils. 

Tropical Icebox Pie

For the Crust:

3/4 cup whole, raw almonds

1 cup unsweetened, finely flaked coconut

6 to 20 pitted dates, depending on size

For the Filling:

6 perfectly ripe avocados

juice and zest of 4 lemons, or more

juice and zest of 2 limes

1 cup extra virgin coconut oil, heated just to the melting point: 76º F.

3/4 to 1 1/2 cups honey, or more to taste (use agave to make the pie vegan)

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Optional Garnish:

thinly sliced limes

lime zest

1. To make the crust: Add the almonds and coconut flakes to food processor; process until it is the texture of fine fresh bread crumbs. Add 6 pitted dates and process until the dates are completely ground into the nuts and coconut. If the mixture clumps when pressed firmly between your fingers, it's ready. If it falls apart, add more dates, 1 at a time, processing until it clumps when tested. Turn the mixture into a deep dish pie plate and press it firmly and evenly on the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Put the pie plate in the refrigerator while working on the filling. 
2. To make the filling: Wipe clean the food processor. Halve and pit all the avocados. Using a spoon, scoop the flesh from the shells and into the food processor. Immediately add the lemon and lime juice and zest, coconut oil, 3/4 cup of the honey, vanilla extract and salt; process until smooth. Taste the mixture. If it needs additional sweetness or acidity, adjust with honey and/or lemon juice. It will taste less sweet after the pie is frozen so you may want to make the mixture slightly sweeter. Scrape the filling into the prepared pie crust and smooth. Put it directly in the freezer until the surface is firm, approx. 2 hours, then cover with plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pie. 
3. To serve the pie: You can garnish the pie with thin slice of lime and lime zest. Slice the pie and serve still frozen.