The weather here is hot and steamy as we enter into mid-August.
I spent most of the morning outside in the garden that has gotten a little away from me. The constant rain and heat lately grew the garden and the weeds like crazy but the rain also didn’t give me a chance to get out there and weed. That said, we harvested 5 shopping bags of produce! Yes, 5 bags! It is about time to start preserving!
Well, the perfect dessert after spending time outside these days is an ice cream sandwich! I made mini-ice cream sandwiches for portion control purposes. The great thing about going smaller is that you can always eat two. Ha!
The ice cream recipe I used in my Mini Double Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches is a recipe I use all the time from Brown Eyed Baker. Whether you are adding cookie dough, M&Ms, mint chocolate chips or making ice cream sandwiches, it is such a great base.
If you have kids, this is also a great activity to keep them busy before they head back to school.
Also, of note: I used pre-made cookie dough because I wanted to ensure all of the cookies were the same size without taking the time to roll out dough and cut it out. I actually had some in the freezer because I had to buy something during a school fundraiser for my niece. It is a great way to use the pre-made dough—especially if you typically make yours from scratch.
Mini Double Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches
Serves: 12
Time: Active: 1 hour, Inactive: 10-24 hours
Ingredients
Ice Cream (Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker)
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups heavy cream, divided
Pinch of salt
6 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pre-made Cookie Dough
Sprinkles
The How-To
The day before you plan to make ice cream, freeze the bowl from the ice cream maker.
Warm the milk, sugar, salt, and first cup of heavy cream in a medium pan over low heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved and then increase the heat to medium. Pour the remaining portion of the heavy cream in a large bowl and place a fine mesh sieve (or fine mesh strainer) on top. Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl. As soon as the mixture begins to simmer around the edges, remove from the stove. Slowly pour the mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan, scraping the remaining mixture in, and place the pan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pan while stirring. When ready, the mixture will be thick and coat the back of the spatula. It will take 2-4 minutes depending on your stove top.
My best results have been using a candy thermometer. The mixture will read between 170-175 degrees when it’s ready. Then pour the custard through the strainer/sieve and stir it into the heavy cream. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place the bowl freeze until the custard is completely cool, approximately 30-45 minutes. When the custard is completely cold, pour into the ice cream bowl and churn the custard until its ice cream. Cover and freeze for 12-24 hours to solidify the ice cream.
Everything from here is easy peasy. I used pre-made cookie dough because it was easier to ensure that all the cookies were the same size. Bake 24 for this recipe.
Scoop one full scoop from a small ice cream scoop onto one of the cookies. Top it with another cookie and press down gently. Use your finger or a butter knife to scrape the extra ice cream off the edge of the cookie. Repeat until the sandwiches are finished. Wrap in plastic wrap and foil to save for the future—or eat them all right now.
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