We serve a lot of ice cream sundaes at The Fort, including one our own Proprietress, Holly Kinney, invented when she was just ten years old. When The Fort first opened, you could purchase a small brick of vanilla ice cream, which we sprinkled generously with a mixture of Nestlé’s hot cocoa mix, sugar and cinnamon. As the ice cream melted, Holly stirred the dry mixture into the creamy liquid to create a sauce. Her parents, and The Fort founders, Sam and Bay Arnold, thought it was so innovative for a young child that they put it on the menu, where it has remained in one form or another to this day.
Holly’s Adobe Brick Sundae
(serves 6 to 8)
- 1 ½ quarts vanilla ice cream
- 1 cup Nesquick or another sweetened chocolate milk mix
- 2 tablespoons raw sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For garnish:
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream, flavored with vanilla
- 6 to 8 sprigs fresh mint
Fill a small loaf pan (4 ½ x 9 inches) with slightly softened vanilla ice cream. Return to the freezer for several hours, until the ice cream has hardened.
In a small bowl, combine the chocolate mix, sugar, and cinnamon and set aside. Run a thin-bladed kitchen knife around the inside edges of the loaf pan, and invert the pan onto a cutting board. If the ice cream loaf doesn’t unmold easily, place a clean dishtowel soaked in cold water, and rung out, over the loaf pan to loosen the bottom, then lift off the pan. Dip the blade of the knife in cold water and cut 1 ½ to 2-inch thick slices (bricks) off of the loaf.
Sprinkle the chocolate mixture over the ice cream. Garnish each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprig of mint. Serve immediately.
We recommend pairing any dessert with The Fort Coffee, a truly delicious after-dinner libation punched with alcohol. Try this concoction at home using the recipe below.
The Fort Coffee
(serves 1)
- ¾ oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream
- ½ oz. Frangelico hazelnut liqueur
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons hot, brewed coffee
- Freshly whipped cream, for topping
Stir the Bailey’s and Frangelico together. Pour this into the hot coffee, stir once or twice, and serve topped with whipped cream.
