Scouting Sweetness: Neapolitan Cream Pie in a Samoas Cookie Crust

Scouting Sweetness: Neapolitan Cream Pie in a Samoas Cookie Crust:

Recently, I was handed a secret spy mission by a super-sweet establishment.

Oh, you've probably heard of them...or at least their cookies.

Yup: I'm talking about the Girl Scouts. Of Western Washington, to be specific. When these sweet Scouts announced their recipe contest, in advance of their cookie sale to the public (March 2-18, and you can find them via cookie locator, as well as an app, which will be updated closer to the date of the sale), I knew I had to be part of it.

But before anything else...I received a super secret spy package (spoiler: it included cookies). Cue the "Mission: Impossible" music, and off to baking.

Would I make a grasshopper pie, using a Thin Mint crust? Would I make Samoas cupcakes? Would I make 'em into milkshakes and call it a day?

No, no, no.

First, I tried a lemonade cake festooned with the lemony crescent meltaway cookies known as Savannah Smiles...and while it was tasty, it was a little garish, and not quite special enough.

And then, it hit. Perhaps inspired by recent CakeSpy contest winner Molly, mixed with a little bit of these candies that I adore, I decided to go for a Neapolitan Triple-threat.

And O.M.G. was this thing good. Employing a Samoas cookie crust, which became crisp and caramelly and so rich it almost (but not quite) hurt, it got even better with three flavors of milky, creamy pudding on top--and then got even more delicious (and cuter, in my opinion) with a garnish of whipped cream and even more cookies on top.

If you're scouting sweetness, you've certainly found it with this recipe!

Neapolitan Cream Pie in a Samoas Cookie Crust

For the Crust:

• 2 boxes of Samoas cookies--save 4-6 cookies, but with the rest, ground coarsely by hand or in a food processor


• 6 tablespoons butter, melted

For the filling:

• 1 large package instant vanilla pudding (5.1 ounce size)


• 1/2 cup milk


• 1/2 cup chocolate milk


• 1/2 cup strawberry milk

To Finish: Whipped cream, and lots of it.

Methodology:

1. Make the crust. Directions Mix the cookie crumbs and melted butter until well blended . Press mixture into a 9 inch greased pie plate (you need more butter or shortening to grease it because the caramel from the cookies will make them stick to the pan!). Also, you might want to flour or wet your hands first, because this business gets sticky. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 5-7 minutes. Cool for at least an hour, or until the shell is at room temperature. You can put it in the fridge to chill more rapidly, too.


2. Divide the pudding mix into three equal portions. Place each portion in a medium-sized bowl.


3. First, mix 1/2 cup of strawberry milk with one portion of pudding mix, whisking until smooth; pour on top of baked pie shell.


4. Next, mix 1/2 cup of regular whole milk with a second portion of pudding mix, whisking until smooth; pour on top of the chocolate pudding layer, and gently spread to cover the layer entirely.


5. Finally, mix 1/2 cup of chocolate milk with the final portion of pudding mix, whisking until smooth; pour on top of the milk layer, and gently spread to cover the layer entirely.


6. Finally, top it all off with a very generous helping of whipped cream right before serving. Garnish with your left-over Samoas!

Connect with the Girl Scouts of Western Washington online: http://www.facebook.com/GirlScoutsWW and https://twitter.com/#!/GirlScoutsWW; the Twitter hash tag is: #GSCookieRecipe.