I can’t believe it has actually been ice-cream weather all summer. Ice-cream weather is when it is so hot after dinner, that you need something to cool yourself off with before going to bed. I didn’t have a ton of ice-cream growing up, except for when I spent time at the beach. The ice-cream man was definitely the highlight of the day. I swear that music will always go down in history as the music that makes kids go absolutely nuts. There is almost a panic that goes on – kids running around yelling “ICE-CREAM MAN!!!”, parents frantically trying to find money, and then the mad rush to the truck – just in case they run out. One of these summers I will need to take a video of the chaos.
But wait…I have another idea. What if I was the ice-cream man? What if I got a big cooler, filled it with homemade ice-cream bars, and walked around to the people sitting on the beach. No music, no panic, no pressure. That does sound like fun, doesn’t it. I always envisioned making different cookies, filing them with different ice-cream – your ice-cream sandwich, your way. But to tell you the truth, that is really not my ideal ice-cream sandwich. I am a traditionalist when it comes to ice-cream sandwiches – I still absolutely love those vanilla ones with the thin chocolate cookies – am I the only one? Don’t get me wrong, I have made some delicious (ok, tremendous) ice-cream sandwiches for this blog, but my heart still has a special place for the traditional ones.
So – when I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit for Ice-Cream Sandwiches, and saw that the recipe was for making very thin cookies, I could hardly wait. Of course, when I was done with the cookies, and asked the girls what kind of ice-cream I should use – it was a unanimous vote for mint chip. I would have actually gone for vanilla, but I have to admit, mint chip sounded pretty darn good. Wow, these were definitely the real deal. They were chocolaty, slightly crunchy but soft at the same time, and just the perfect wrapper for the mint chip. I think I could do pretty well on the beach with these – hey, a girl can dream, right?
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- 1 pint ice cream (any flavor)
Preparation
Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and corn syrup in another medium bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolk and vanilla; beat until combined.
Reduce mixer speed to low, add dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Mix in sour cream. Form dough into a 3/4-inch-thick square, wrap tightly in plastic, and chill until firm, 2–3 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of parchment to about 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer dough (still between parchment) to a large baking sheet and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes. Remove top sheet of parchment (it will come away easily if dough is well chilled) and trim to a 14×10-inch rectangle. Bake cookie until dry and just set at edges, 8–10 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack; let cookie cool.
Trim cookie to a 12×9-inch rectangle, then cut into twelve 3-inch squares. Scoop ice cream into a medium bowl and mix just until softened, 2–3 minutes. Turn 6 cookies bottom side up. Dividing evenly, scoop ice cream on top and flatten slightly; top with remaining cookies, pressing down gently. Place sandwiches on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. Cut sandwiches in half on a diagonal to make triangles. Wrap in parchment, if desired, and freeze until ready to serve.
DO AHEAD: Ice cream sandwiches can be made 1 week ahead. Keep frozen.
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First Look, Then Cook 