DREAM TEAM
Slap a generous scoop of ice cream between two cookies, tidy up the edges and pop the whole thing in the freezer until it firms up. How difficult can it really be to make a great ice cream sandwich?
The ice cream is easy. You can really let your imagination go, as far as flavors are concerned, though you’ll be better off choosing premium brands -- they tend to freeze more solidly than less expensive types, which often contain stabilizers.
It’s when you start rummaging through your cookie recipes that things can get tricky. Should they be thick or thin, soft or crispy, rolled or more free-form drop in style?
Once you understand the basics, spotting a sandwich-worthy cookie recipe that you can tweak to your taste is almost as simple as, well, making the sandwich itself.
First of all, the ideal cookies for an ice cream sandwich should be noticeably less sweet than those you want to nibble straight from the oven, because you’re going to be adding a lot of ice cream.
The cookies should also be crispy enough to contrast with the silkiness of ice cream (a super-soft cookie and you’ve got ice cream all over your hands). A little chewiness in the center is also great for contrast as you munch your way through the cookie.
And think about the thickness of the cookie; you’re making a sandwich, not a hoagie.
Those are the broad outlines. When you get to specifics, there are a few more things to consider.
The kind of sugar you use in the cookie also makes a difference. You want a recipe that calls for at least part brown sugar, molasses, honey or maple syrup. A couple tablespoons of these will add a rich caramelized flavor to your cookies.
Just a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar added to a standard chocolate sugar cookie transforms it into a perfect sandwich layer. The brown sugar adds extra moisture and makes the cookie chewier, which is a good thing.
And dough that’s been rolled into balls, rather than dropped directly onto the baking sheet, bakes into more uniformly shaped cookies -- especially handy when you’re matching up perfect sandwiching partners.
You can play even more variations on that simple chocolate cookie if you want. Fold in a handful of chopped nuts, minced dried fruit or use a quarter-teaspoon of almond extract rather than vanilla. Carmela’s, an ice cream stand at several Southern California farmers markets, sprinkles sea salt on its chocolate sandwich cookies prior to baking.
You can also change the texture of the dough by adding oatmeal or coconut. It’ll make cookies more crumbly tender than chewy, but just as moist.
With the addition of coconut, a butter cookie morphs into an almost macaroon-like disc that manages to taste light even when piled with gobs of vanilla or coconut ice cream. Grinding the coconut in the food processor will give the cookies a more uniform texture. A teaspoon of lemon or orange zest is also a tasty addition to the dough, particularly with summery citrus ice creams or tangy sorbets.
With this and other very moist doughs, you need to chill the dough well so the cookies keep a uniform shape while baking. Flattening the sugar-rolled balls with the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar also helps ensure that the tops will fit the bottoms and bake into a thinner sandwiching cookie.
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Spice cookie
For the ultimate ice cream sandwich, use a variation on a molasses spice cookie that Suzanne Goin uses at Lucques restaurant in West Hollywood. It’s loaded with cloves, ginger and cinnamon and rolled thin so it’s not heavy but still keeps a fantastic chewy center from the molasses.
It is a stiff dough, which helps the cookies retain a perfectly round shape, so you’ll need to chill the dough and roll it between parchment or plastic wrap to make it easier to work with. This flour-free rolling technique also keeps the cookies moist in the center and helps you transfer the delicate rounds to the baking sheet. You can peel them right off the parchment or plastic.
After baking, cool thin cookies such as these directly on the baking sheet rather than on a rack. It will steam them enough to slightly soften them. Now the crispy edges won’t crumble when you slather them with ice cream (the filled cookies will soften up even more after a few hours in the freezer).
And about the ice cream. That’s the easy part. It’s worth it to look for premium brands. They tend to freeze more solidly than less expensive types, which often contain stabilizers.
Don’t be afraid to play with flavors. Goin uses the gingerbread cookies to make sandwiches with pumpkin or maple ice creams during the fall, or lighter stone fruit sorbets or vanilla ice creams in the summer.
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Tropical flair
The coconut cookies are a natural for tropical flavors such as pineapple, mango or even coconut ice cream. I also like everyday vanilla ice cream with the sides of the sandwich rolled in flaked coconut (do this just after you fill the cookies so the ice cream is still soft enough for the flakes to adhere).
Make enough chocolate sea salt sandwich cookies so that you can fill them with a mix of pecan praline, chocolate almond or one of those crazy everything-but-the-kitchen-sink ice creams, and you’ve got a virtual ice cream truck permanently parked in your kitchen, without the endlessly looped “Pop Goes the Weasel” soundtrack.
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Coconut cookie ice cream sandwiches
Total time: About 2 hours, plus chilling and assembly time
Servings: Makes about 35 medium ice cream sandwiches (or 70 cookies)
Note: Sandwiches are best assembled one day ahead to allow the cookies to soften slightly.
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature, plus extra for rolling
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, plus 2/3 cup for rolling, divided
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups loosely packed sweetened shredded coconut
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
About 3 quarts premium ice cream such as vanilla, coconut or lemon
1. In the bowl of a stand mixture using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter, one-half cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, eggs and vanilla at medium speed until well incorporated, about 2 minutes (it will not be fluffy).
2. Meanwhile, grind the coconut in a food processor until finely chopped, about 10 seconds (you should have a scant 1 2/3 cups).
3. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Mix the combined dry ingredients, one-half at a time, into the butter mixture until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the coconut, mixing well.
4. Divide the dough in half, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and flatten into a disc (the dough will be very sticky). Chill for 2 hours or longer to firm the dough.
5. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the remaining two-thirds cup of sugar in a small bowl. Using one round of dough at a time (keep the rest chilled), shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the sugar. Place the dough 2 inches apart on a lightly buttered baking sheet. Lightly grease the bottom of a pint glass, or similar glass, with a little butter, then dip the glass into the sugar to coat. Press the cookie with the bottom of the glass until it is about one-eighth inch thick and 2 1/2 inches wide. Repeat with all the balls, and make sure the glass is well-sugared each time before pressing, as the dough will be sticky. Repeat with the second half of the refrigerated dough, forming and pressing the balls.
6. Bake the cookies, one pan at a time and in the center of the oven, until they are lightly golden on the edges but still white in the middle, about 10 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through for even baking. Remove the cookies immediately to a wire rack to prevent them from sticking to the baking sheet. Cool completely.
7. To assemble, spread one-third cup ice cream (slightly softened) over the bottom of one cookie, and carefully top with another cookie. Press firmly but gently to avoid breaking the cookies. Run a knife or offset spatula around the edges to clean up any ice cream hanging over the edge. Freeze for at least 1 hour to firm the ice cream. Repeat with all the cookies.
Each ice cream sandwich: 271 calories; 3 grams protein; 27 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 16 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 67 mg. cholesterol; 112 mg. sodium.
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Molasses cookie ice cream sandwiches
Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes, plus chilling and assembly time
Servings: Makes about 18 large ice cream sandwiches (or 36 cookies)
Note: Adapted from “Sunday Suppers at Lucques” by Suzanne Goin. This cookie dough is very soft when made and may need to be chilled at intervals as the cookies are rolled and assembled. Sandwiches are best assembled one day ahead to allow the cookies to soften slightly.
2/3 cup shortening
1/4 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cream
2 tablespoons coarse or sanding sugar, for sprinkling
About 1 1/2 quarts premium ice cream such as vanilla, butter pecan or rum raisin
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Melt the shortening in a small saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave. Measure one-half cup and cool until it reaches room temperature and is slightly thickened. Discard any remaining shortening.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixture using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the cooled shortening, molasses, granulated sugar and egg at medium speed until fully incorporated, about 3 minutes (it will not be fluffy).
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt. Mix in the combined dry ingredients, one-half at a time, until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Divide the dough in half and wrap tightly in plastic. Chill the dough for about 15 minutes to firm slightly.
5. Remove half of the chilled dough and roll it out between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper until it is slightly thicker than one-eighth inch thick. Use a 2 1/2 -inch cookie cutter to cut as many cookies as possible from the dough. Peel away the scraps, then gently peel off the cookies. The dough may need to be chilled again to make peeling easier; if so, simply place the dough, still on parchment or plastic, on a baking sheet and freeze for several minutes. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat using the rest of the dough and scraps.
6. Just before baking, brush the dough rounds lightly with the cream, using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
7. Bake the cookies, one pan at a time, until they puff and begin to deflate, and are just beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through for even baking. Cool completely on the baking sheets; the cookies will flatten and crack slightly as they cool. Make sure the cookies are completely cool prior to assembly.
8. To assemble, spread a heaping one-third cup ice cream (slightly softened) over the bottom of one cookie, and carefully top with another cookie. Press firmly but gently to avoid breaking the cookies. Run a knife or offset spatula around the edges to clean up any ice cream hanging over the edge. Freeze for at least 1 hour to firm the ice cream. Repeat with all the cookies.
Each ice cream sandwich: 336 calories; 4 grams protein; 39 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 18 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 57 mg. cholesterol; 110 mg. sodium.
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Chocolate sea salt cookie ice cream sandwiches
Total time: 1 hour, plus chilling and assembly time
Servings: Makes about 18 medium ice cream sandwiches (or 36 cookies)
Note: The sea salt can be omitted, but it balances the sweetness of the ice cream. Gray sea salt, sometimes referred to as Celtic sea salt or sel gris, is recommended. It’s available at most cooking stores and select well-stocked markets. Sandwiches are best assembled one day ahead to allow the cookies to soften slightly.
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the baking sheets
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/3 cup for rolling, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons standard cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt for sprinkling
About 1 1/2 quarts premium ice cream, such as vanilla or chocolate
1. In the bowl of a stand mixture using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter, one-half cup sugar and the brown sugar at medium speed until light, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg and mix well to incorporate. Add the vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the salt, flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, one-half at a time, until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Form the dough into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or longer.
3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the remaining one-third cup of sugar in a small bowl.
4. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. If the dough starts to become sticky, return it to the refrigerator to chill briefly. Roll the cookies in the sugar. Lightly press down on the balls to flatten them to one-half inch. Place 5 to 6 small grains of sea salt on half the cookies (these will be the tops of the sandwiches), spacing the salt crystals out on top of the balls as much as possible.
5. Place the balls 2 inches apart on lightly buttered baking sheets. Bake until the surface puffs and begins to deflate, and the cookies darken slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through for even baking. Cool the cookies for 1 minute on the baking sheet, then transfer the cookies from the sheet to a wire rack to cool.
6. To assemble, spread a generous one-fourth cup ice cream (slightly softened) over a bottom cookie, and carefully cover with a top cookie containing the salt crystals. Press firmly but gently to avoid breaking the cookies. Run a knife or offset spatula around the edges to clean up any ice cream hanging over the edge. Freeze for at least 1 hour to firm the ice cream. Repeat with all the cookies.
Each ice cream sandwich: 278 calories; 3 grams protein; 31 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 16 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 68 mg. cholesterol; 133 mg. sodium.