Chocolate Yum-Yum Dessert

My mother used to make this dessert, but we just called the the "peppermint ice cream dessert." It was always made with peppermint ice cream and a crushed chocolate sandwich cookie crust. Years later a neighbor of mine served the exact same dessert and this was her name for it. I like to use different cookie crusts and different ice cream flavors for variety.

2/3 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
3 large or jumbo egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
pinch of salt (1/8 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
3 stiffly beaten egg whites (large or jumbo)

Crushed Cookie Crust (see below) Crushed Cookie Crust (see below)
1 quart ice cream, your choice of flavors

Cream together the butter and powdered sugar. Add slightly beaten egg yolks, melted chocolate, salt, vanilla and nuts. Fold in well-beaten egg whites. Spread chocolate filling over crust; freeze for two hours. Spread with softened ice cream, top with reserved crumbs and freeze until solid. Makes 12 servings..

Crushed Cookie Crust:

Crush 30 sandwich filled type cookie in the food processor, or put them in a Ziploc bag and crush to a fine consistency with a rolling pin. Pat firmly into bottom of a 13"x9" pan (Tupperware with a cover is ideal), reserving 1/2 cup crumbs to sprinkle on top of the ice cream. Use traditional chocolate sandwich cookies, toffee, or whatever appeals to you - we love the toffee cookie crust with Dulce de Leche (caramel) ice cream. Yum!