Introduction: Slasher Mask Ice Cream Cake

About: I helped start Instructables, previously worked in biotech and academic research labs, and have a degree in biology from MIT. Currently head of Product helping young startups at Alchemist Accelerator, previous…

This puff pastry slasher mask ice cream cake is ridiculously easy to make, and looks completely disturbing.  It's perfect for your next Halloween party or slasher movie marathon - just be sure to serve with the biggest knife you own!

Step 1: Tools and Ingredients

Ingredients
1 package puff pastry
~ 2 quarts strawberry ice cream
handful fresh strawberries 
strawberry jam (optional)

Tools
baking sheet
aluminum foil
waxed paper or parchment paper
rolling pin (optional)
knife (optional)
straw (optional)
oven-proof head-shaped base (I used a plaster cast of scoochmaroo's face, but you could also use wadded-up paper and/or foil balls, the underside of a face-shaped cake pan, or anything roughly oval (a squash, a bowl) with a nose-shape attached.)

Step 2: Prepare Head Form

Prepare your oven-safe head shape, cover it in aluminum foil, and place on a baking sheet.  Preheat your oven to 400F.

I chose to pre-heat my plaster head form along with the oven, which worked out well.

Step 3: Cover Head in Puff Pastry

I gave my puff pastry sheet a quick roll-out, both to increase its size and to slightly decrease its poofiness.  It looks like I overdid the flattening a bit, but it made the mask look even creepier.

- Set the pastry atop the preheated head form, making sure it's properly centered, and smooth down into all the nooks and crannies.  
- Use your fingers to open up the eyes.  Push puff pastry back to create neatly-rounded openings with reinforced edges.
- Use a butter knife to make slits over the mouth. Protip: leaving a few 'threads" of connecting pastry at the middle of the slit keeps it from gaping open as the pastry cooks.  Check my finished pictures for examples of with-and-without connecting thread examples.
- use a straw to make perfect little circles in the forehead region for that authentic hockey goalie mask look.  You can also do this over the mouth, but I preferred the slits.

Step 4: Bake

Bake at 400F for about 12-15 minutes, checking frequently after 10 minutes.  Cooking time will vary depending on the thermal properties of your head form material, and the thickness of your puff pastry.  Remember that it's better to undercook it than to burn it!

Remove from oven when the head is just golden brown on top, and let it cool.  If you've got a high thermal mass head form (like mine!) the pastry will continue cooking on the head form as it cools.

Once the puff pastry has cooled enough to be (somewhat) structurally sound, gently lift/peel it off the head form and set aside to finish cooling.  You may want to support it with a clean, dry kitchen towel as it cools.  Once it reaches room temperature, put it in the freezer for a few minutes so it's chilled and ready to be filled with ice cream.

Note that your mask will feel somewhat like a thick rubber mask, and will have about the same degree of floppiness. While not too fragile, it will need support and attentive handling.

Step 5: Bake Backing Layer

Use the other piece of puff pastry to form the backing layer of your cake.  Just unfold the puff pastry, and test sizing against the front mask.  Roll it out a bit if needed to match the footprint of the mask, then bake at 400F for about 15 minutes or until just golden brown on top.

Remove from oven, cool to room temperature, then place in freezer to chill in preparation for ice cream.

Step 6: Assemble Cake

Once both layers are baked and chilled, it's time for assembly.

Place the base on a cutting board or other flat, knife-proof serving platter.  Keep the mask right next to it for reference.

Scoop up balls of strawberry ice cream, and arrange them on the pastry base to fill the footprint of the mask.  Stack additional ice cream balls on top of the first layer, periodically laying the mask over top of the ice cream to guide your scoop placement.  (Note that it doesn't have to be a snug fit - weird gaps are creepy.  But you want enough ice cream to support the mask.)

Once you've completed the ice cream base, cover with strawberry slices and strawberry jam.  Be sure to place appropriately-sliced strawberries in the eye-holes, and use jam where you'd like a gross bloody effect.  I chose to cover the entire ice cream are with fresh strawberries, and only used jam on the mouth area.  I spooned a bit of extra jam in through the big mouth hole to get better placement and an extra-gross drip effect.  

After the cake is assembled, use a knife to trim the base back to the edge of the mask.  This is the cook's treat - slather it in leftover ice cream and eat. :)

Either serve immediately, or return your cake to the freezer to harden.

Step 7: Serve

Remove your re-frozen cake from the freezer, and serve immediately.  For best results, be sure to use your biggest, most dangerous-looking chef's knife to cut the cake.

I chose to start with a lobotomy, then chunk my way down the cake.  This was quite effective, as the mouth was the grossest/scariest looking part, and it stayed in place until the very end.  

Put any remaining cake back into the freezer as soon as possible, as just like any ice cream cake you're on borrowed time.  Thankfully any messy melting will only make this cake look more convincing!

Autodesk Employee Halloween Contest

Finalist in the
Autodesk Employee Halloween Contest

Halloween Food Contest

Participated in the
Halloween Food Contest