Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches

It’s never even occurred to me to make my own ice cream sandwiches from scratch, so I am super impressed with this recipe from Nielsen-Massey – doesn’t this sound amazing?!

Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches
Recipe courtesy of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas.

Ice Cream
(Yield 1½ Quarts)

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and washed
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Tahitian Pure Vanilla Extract
¼ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Lemon Extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk

Directions:
In a 4 quart glass measuring cup, add berries, sugar, vanilla and lemon extracts, and salt. Smash with a potato masher; stir in cream and milk; set aside.

Assemble ice cream maker. Turn ice cream maker on and pour ice cream mixture into *frozen container. Let mix until ice cream thickens, about 20 minutes.

Transfer ice cream into an air tight container; freeze for several hours, or for a firmer ice cream, freeze overnight. Scoop ice cream, place between 2 cookies and gently press.
Or, for a prefect ice cream round; line a 9×13-inch pan with foil then evenly spread ice cream with a rubber spatula; cover and freeze overnight. Then use a cookie cutter to cut desired diameter of ice cream rounds and place between 2 cookies.

Follow manufacturers’ directions for freezing container, 24 hours or longer is ideal.

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
(Makes about 3 Dozen)

Ingredients:
2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
⅓ cup cocoa powder (Dutch processed)
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (1¼ sticks) butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1½ tablespoons Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Chocolate Extract
1 egg
¼ cup unsulphured original molasses
¼ sugar to dip glass bottom

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 light-colored heavy baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, cardamom, and salt, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add butter, powdered sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and chocolate extracts; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in egg. Add molasses; beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients in three batches, beating after each addition until combined.

Roll 1-inch balls and place on cookie sheets. Using the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar, lightly press each cookie flat. Bake one sheet pan at a time on center rack until done, about 8-10 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.