Fancy Dirt Cake

Serves: 6

Lelia Marks

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

51

Spice

52

Sweetness

48

Sourness

39

mins

Prep time (avg)

4.8

Difficulty

Ingredients:

4 large

Egg

1 cup

Sugar

1 cup

Cornstarch

1 tsp

Kosher Salt

1 cup

Heavy Cream

Directions:

1

Pulse cookies in a food processor until coarse crumbs form (or place in a plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin); set aside

2

Pour milk into a medium saucepan; scrape in vanilla seeds and add pod

3

Heat over medium until just before boiling

4

Whisk eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl

5

Whisking constantly, pour half of milk mixture into egg mixture

6

(Putting a wet towel underneath bowl will help stabilize it

7

) Add egg and milk mixture to remaining milk mixture in saucepan

8

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until custard is thick and bubbles just a bit, about 7 minutes, then continue to cook 1 minute more

9

Strain custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl; discard vanilla pod

10

Add 1/4 cup butter and whisk to combine

11

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly on surface of custard, and chill until cold, about 3 hours

12

Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup butter in a large bowl until smooth

13

Add chilled custard and beat until combined

14

Using electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip cream in a medium bowl until medium peaks form

15

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold whipped cream into custard to combine

16

Layer custard and cookie crumbs alternately in flower pot, inserting gummy worms at random, ending with crumbs

17

Stick a flower or two into cake to decorate, adding more worms on top of "soil" if desired

18

Pulse cookies in a food processor until coarse crumbs form (or place in a plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin); set aside

19

Pour milk into a medium saucepan; scrape in vanilla seeds and add pod

20

Heat over medium until just before boiling

21

Whisk eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl

22

Whisking constantly, pour half of milk mixture into egg mixture

23

(Putting a wet towel underneath bowl will help stabilize it

24

) Add egg and milk mixture to remaining milk mixture in saucepan

25

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until custard is thick and bubbles just a bit, about 7 minutes, then continue to cook 1 minute more

26

Strain custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl; discard vanilla pod

27

Add 1/4 cup butter and whisk to combine

28

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly on surface of custard, and chill until cold, about 3 hours

29

Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup butter in a large bowl until smooth

30

Add chilled custard and beat until combined

31

Using electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip cream in a medium bowl until medium peaks form

32

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold whipped cream into custard to combine

33

Layer custard and cookie crumbs alternately in flower pot, inserting gummy worms at random, ending with crumbs

34

Stick a flower or two into cake to decorate, adding more worms on top of "soil" if desired

35

Do Ahead Custard can be made 1 day ahead; keep chilled

36

Custard can be made 1 day ahead; keep chilled