ice cream sandwiches

"It's always sad when someone leaves home, unless they are simply going around the corner and will return in a few minutes with ice cream sandwiches."-Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid

So long, summer 2012. It's been another fun one. And while swimming, cute sandals and vacays will be replaced with college football, boots and soon, hopefully cooler weather, it is always bittersweet saying good bye to summer. So, in honor of another fabulous summer, I thought I would make and share one of the most quintessential summer treats: ice cream sandwiches. Here's an updated version with a bit of a grown-up twist: dark chocolate cookies and coffee ice cream.

Like last summer, I was pretty much obsessed with my ice cream maker and made sure to always have some homemade coffee ice cream on hand. However, some super strong coffee beans and you can be left with some pretty intense ice cream. To balance out the strong flavor, ice cream sandwiches seemed like the perfect solution to help complement the coffee flavor. I used a very simple recipe for dark chocolate cookies to balance out the ice cream. The result was a delicious combo.

Dark Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients:
8 oz. butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. With a mixer, blend the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy. Mix the dry ingredients todgether and add to the mixer on low speed. Add the vanilla and chocolate and blend until the dough becomes a rich, dark brown. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a 1/2 to 1 inch thickness and using a cookie cutter, cut out the cookies. (I actually used some biscuit cutters that gives you some nice scalloped edges).
Place the cookies on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and top with sugar crystals. Bake for 15 minutes and cool on a rack.



When the cookies are completely cool, just scoop out some of the coffee ice cream (or any other homemade or store bought ice cream) and press onto the cookie. Top it with another cookie and hello ice cream sammy. You can also roll the sides in your favorite topping like nuts or chocolate sprinkles.
Enjoy and happy last days of summer.

image source: SD

-SD

Comments

[Anthogal]

I hate to see summer end too!! Thanks for sharing this...ice cream sandwiches really seem to have made a comeback on the blogs:)

[amee]

i love the sides rolled in coconut, nuts, choc chips, etc!! great photos and a nice farewell post to the summer.