Rocky Road Ice Cream Cake

Prepare Fudge Sauce : In heavy 2-quart saucepan, heat cream, sugar, chocolate, and corn syrup over medium heat until mixture boils, stirring occasionally. Cook 4 minutes longer or until sauce thickens slightly (mixture should be gently bubbling), stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in butter and vanilla until sauce is smooth and glossy. Cover surface of sauce with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or until cool. Makes about 1 2/3 cups.

When sauce is cool, assemble Rocky Road Cake : Wrap bottom and side of 9-inch by 3-inch springform pan with foil. Spoon 1 pint chocolate ice cream into pan. Place plastic wrap on ice cream and press down to spread evenly and eliminate air pockets; remove plastic wrap. Insert cookies, standing upright, into ice cream to form a ring around side of pan, making sure to push cookie to pan bottom. Sprinkle 1 cup marshmallows and 1/2 cup peanuts over ice cream; press in gently with hand.

Spoon remaining ice cream over marshmallows and peanuts. Place plastic wrap on ice cream and spread evenly; remove plastic wrap. Spread 2/3 cup Fudge Sauce over ice cream (if sauce is too firm, microwave briefly to soften but not heat); reserve remaining sauce to serve later. Sprinkle remaining marshmallows and peanuts over sauce; press in gently with hand. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours.

To serve, uncover and remove foil from pan. Wrap towels dampened with warm water around side of pan for about 20 seconds to slightly soften ice cream. Remove side of pan and place cake on cake stand or plate. Let stand at room temperature about 10 minutes for easier slicing. Meanwhile, place remaining Fudge Sauce in microwave-safe bowl. Heat sauce in microwave oven, uncovered, on High 30 to 40 seconds or until hot, stirring once. Serve hot sauce to spoon over cake if you like.