Simple, Little Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
When I was writing and churning up recipes for my ice cream book, I heard through the transatlantic wind that another ice cream book was coming out. It’s hard not to be influenced by others when writing and creating recipes, and even though I was sent a copy, I didn’t want to look through it, so I gave it a cursory glance, then shelved it away.
Once my book was wrapped up, I pulled Emily Luchetti’s A Passion for Ice Cream off the shelf (finally!) and was happy to find there wasn’t any overlap; her book focuses on desserts made with ice cream, with recipes, and mine is a more how-to book for making ice cream and other frozen desserts. As a pastry-pal and ice cream-colleague, I was relieved.
There are some pretty neat ideas for serving ice cream in this book: the Frozen S’mores Ice Cream Cake looks especially appealing, covered with toasted, billowy marshmallows, as well as a Brown Sugar Ice Cream Chocolate Roulade that hits every one of my buttons.
Brown sugar and ice cream…and chocolate?
Yes, yes, and yes.
But one very simple presentation of hers caught my eye, which were these little chocolate ice cream “sandwiches.” It’s a great idea for something simple, using one ingredient that you’re likely to have on hand, and makes a snack-sized treat that’s perfect for a quick grab and gobble.
Emily’s recipe uses milk chocolate, which you’re welcome to use, although I used dark chocolate. Between the disks, you can get creative and use any ice cream or sorbet that comes to mind. I used Raspberry Ice Cream, but I’m thinking Coffee Ice Cream would be really good, too. And there’s no law that I know of that says you can’t roll the side of each disk in crushed nuts or chopped chocolate, either.
Make sure whatever ice cream you use is slightly soft. If it’s too hard, you’ll break chocolate disks. Emily advises to make extra disks since some are likely to break, which was true in my case, although I didn’t have much trouble figuring out what to do with the duds.
Simple Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
About 18 sandwichesIn a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt 2 ounces (60g) of chopped dark or milk chocolate. Be sure to use a clean, dry bowl when melting pure chocolate; any water or humidity will cause the chocolate to seize.
Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper then place about 1/4 teaspoon-sized drops of the melted chocolate on the sheet, evenly-spaced apart. As you drop the chocolate, use the back of the spoon to spread the chocolate in a larger circle.
Cool the chocolate disks completely. Depending on ambient temperature, you can do it at room temperature, or in the refrigerator.
While the chocolate is setting, take a small ice cream scoop and make little balls of ice cream and put them on a chilled plate. Once done, stick the plate of ice cream scoops in the freezer.
When ready to fill the sandwiches, remove the ice cream scoops and let them soften slightly, then sandwich them between two disks of chocolate. (You can lift them off with a butter knife or small, offset spatula.) Refreeze until ready to serve.
Related links:
Chocolate-Covered Caramelized Matzoh Crunch
Milk Chocolate and Black Pepper Ice Cream
Tips on How to Make Ice Cream, and Q & A
Ice Cream Tips (Archives)