Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars

From TikTok

Guessing at the amounts based on the video.

Note 8/21/2023: I ended up using some of the leftover crust I prepared in the topping. Updated instructions based on experience today.

Our source for freeze dried fruit of all sorts, including strawberries: North Bay Trading Co.

Ingredients

4 C vanilla cream cookies

2 -3 handfuls of freeze dried strawberries, whole

Butter, melted (possibly just over 1/4 C)

Vanilla ice cream (1.5 qt)

Strawberry ice cream (1.5 qt)

8-10 vanilla cream cookies (for topping)

Freeze dried strawberries 1-2 handfuls

Instructions

Prepare 8x8 pan with a parchment paper sling.

Soften ice cream by putting it in the fridge for 30-45 minutes. Place the 8x8 pan in the freezer. 

Melt butter. Put cookies and two or three handfuls of freeze dried strawberries in the food processor and process until the consistency chunky sand, some rocks but able to be made into a crust. Take out the big pieces that don't get ground up and reserve for the topping. Okay to leave in smaller unground pieces.

Put cookie dust into a bowl and pour melted butter into it. Mix well. Add butter and mix until you have a what feels like damp sand that's wet enough to press into the pan and not be too loose. 

Press mixture into an 8x8 pan. Refrigerate for a few minutes to solidify. Save leftover crust for topping.

For the topping, put reserved too-big pieces from making the crust, 8-10 cookies, plus 1-2 handfuls of freeze dried strawberries into food processor. Process well. Place in a bowl. 

Place leftover crust mixture in with the topping.

Split the vanilla ice cream in two parts and return one half to freezer for a few minutes. Process the ice cream in a bowl to soften it enough to spread. Then spread it onto the crust. Return pan to freezer. 

Process the strawberry ice cream in a bowl until it's soft enough to spread. Spread on top of the vanilla. Return the pan to the freezer.

Process the remaining vanilla until it's soft enough to spread. Spread on top of the strawberry ice cream.

Sprinkle strawberry/cookie mixture on top. Freeze for four hours. Remove with sling onto a cutting board.

Cut into 12 pieces.