Caramelized apricot ice cream cake

So I kept thinking about the ice cream cake and although my first thought was to go all chocolate and brownies, I then spied the  half dozen gorgeous apricots that I'd recently bought just resting on my counter. Now perfectly ripe and plump, they begged to be used before mush set in; apricot mush is the worst, second only to mealy apples in the fruit-that-makes-you-want-to-wretch category. Anyway, I really did want to follow through on the ice cream cake idea because Tom loves ice cream cake and I thought it'd be a nice surprise. And I kinda wanted some too, especially since the strawberry shortcakes have never materialized. Damn. I did NOT, however, feel like making the cake part of an ice cream cake and so started musing about substitutions. Meringues? No. Ladyfingers? Hmm....

I caramelized halved apricots in butter, brown sugar and a touch of almond extract. While those rested and cooled, I made the ice cream custard base. That chilled, I bought some ladyfingers and thought more about the cake. Ultimately, I lined a loaf pan with foil and then a layer of ladyfingers. Over them I poured the apricot syrup into which I'd whisked some Cognac and half of the now-chopped apricots. Over that I spread the ice cream into which I'd folded the rest of the chopped apricots. It's all freezing now, and I have high hopes.