Green Mountain Pie

Three layers of frozen goodness in a coconut macaroon crust: lime sherbet, vanilla ice cream mixed with macaroon crumbs, and more lime sherbet on top. This frozen pie is a retro dessert that looks as striking as it tastes, with alternating green and white stripes when you cut a slice.

The macaroon crust is the foundation. Soft macaroon crumbs pressed into the pie plate with melted butter-flavored lard create a chewy, coconut-rich base that doesn’t freeze rock-hard like a graham cracker crust would. It stays slightly soft and yielding even straight from the freezer.

Building the layers takes patience. Each layer needs about an hour to firm in the freezer before the next goes on. Spreading soft ice cream or sherbet over a still-soft layer underneath mixes them together. Firm first, then spread.

The macaroon crumbs folded into the vanilla ice cream layer add coconut crunch in the middle of the pie. It’s a textural surprise between the smooth sherbet layers.

Chef Tips

• Soften the sherbet and ice cream just until spreadable, not melty. Too soft and each layer runs to the edges and pools instead of staying distinct.
• Let the pie sit at room temperature 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Straight from the freezer it’s too hard to cut cleanly.
• Dip the knife in hot water between slices for the cleanest cuts.
• Wrap tightly after the final freeze to prevent freezer burn and ice crystals.

Variations

• Raspberry mountain: Replace lime sherbet with raspberry sherbet for a pink-and-white version.
• Chocolate base: Use crushed chocolate wafer cookies instead of macaroons for the crust.
• Tropical version: Use mango sherbet and coconut ice cream for a fully tropical frozen pie.