Ice Cream Sandwiches – two ways

It’s hot. Like really hot. Like can-you-grab-the-remote-for-me-I-don’t-want-to-move-at-all kind of hot. To be more precise, it is 90 degrees with a level of humidity that can only be described as choking. My hair is an unruly mass of frizz and my glasses keep fogging up whenever I step from the air conditioned house to the backyard garden.

But I’m happy – and surprisingly refreshed – thanks to a few of these gorgeous treats that my sister and I made last night. I may or may not have eaten the leftovers for breakfast. You’re encouraged to do the same. We don’t judge here.

A good ice cream sandwich can bring the kid out in anyone. Take the novelty of a slab of ice cream jammed between not one but two cookies. Add in the race against heat and time, which makes for some funny/awkward licking as you hurry to catch any wayward drips. And then factor in the fun of enjoying new grown-up flavors like blood orange, dulce de leche or even (gasp) caramelized bacon.

The combination just makes for one sweet treat!

Ice cream sandwiches are very easy to make. They’re also very easy to dress up or serve casual; you just need ice cream and cookies. The fun comes with creativity and imagination regarding flavors. I’m going to share two fantastic “recipes” that I recently made, but they’re not really recipes. Here we go…

Some tips about makin’ sammiches:

• Cookies should be sturdy but soft. You don’t want them to be too hard to bite into or too soft to handle the ice cream. A fudgy, brownie-like cookie actually works best. You can even use brownies or blondies! Just spread the batter out thinly on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Try to underbake the cookies by a few minutes to keep them soft. Let cool completely and/or place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
• Using cookie cutters to cut out the dough will insure an even sandwich. I used ones with scalloped edges for a more decorative touch.

Assembly:

• Before assembling the sandwiches, soften the ice cream for a few minutes. Don’t let it melt, we’re just softening to make spreading easier.
• Once cookies are completely cooled, place one cookie flat-side up on a parchment-lined baking tray.
• Smear your ice cream on the bottom cookie. About 3-4 spoonfuls of ice cream should be sufficient.
• Take the other cookie and place on top, flattening the ice cream. Smooth out the sides and wipe any drips.
• Once you’ve finished assembling all the sandwiches, place the baking tray in the freezer for at least an hour.
• Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Nutella Sandwiches

This ice cream sandwich was inspired by the Big Gay Ice Cream truck in New York. It features a peanut butter cookie base, a thin smear of Nutella and rich vanilla ice cream.

For cookies:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat together both sugars, peanut butter, butter and egg. Stir in dry ingredients slowly.

Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with fork dipped into sugar. Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

To assemble:

Smear the flat side of each cookie with a thin layer of Nutella or a similar chocolate spread. Add vanilla ice cream and mush sandwich together. Freeze for one hour before eating.

Chocolate Blueberry Sandwiches

The cookies on this sandwich are soft and mildly chocolatey, reminiscent of the old rectangular sammies from so many of our favorite childhood memories. Give it an adult spin with store-bought blueberry sorbet blended with creamy marscapone. For a really pretty look, dust with baker’s crystal sugar. Recipe adapted from Hershey’s.

For cookies:

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients slowly, mixing until a soft, dark dough comes together.

Pat the dough out in a long rectangle on a piece of waxed paper. Cover with another piece of waxed paper and roll with a rolling pin into 1/4 inch thickness. Remove the top piece of waxed paper and cut out shapes with a sharp cookie cutter.

Place the dough on a baking sheet and then freeze until very stiff, about 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 325°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and remove the frozen cookie dough from the freezer. Using a spatula, carefully transfer each cut-out cookie to the cookie sheet. Prick each cookie with a fork in a pattern.

Bake 5 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched. Let cool for 10 minutes to firm up, then remove to a wire rack. Let cool completely before making sandwiches. Dust tops with crystal sugar as cookies cool, if desired.

To assemble:

Take one pint of good quality blueberry sorbet and soften. Stir in about 1/4 cup of mascarpone cheese, until well mixed. Refreeze the mixture completely, then assemble sandwiches.  Freeze for at least one hour before eating.