Summer is holding on in New England despite the days inevitably growing shorter.  I’m grateful for the warm breeze and sunshine.  It will all change soon enough.  Tomorrow marks the first day of fall.  Fall feels like a time of reflection.  I am not quite ready to reflect on all the year, so far, has brought my way.  I have trouble letting go. For just a bit longer I will savor summer and eat an ice cream sandwich or two.   I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.  More stories and recipes to come soon.

Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches

Cookie recipe adapted from Baker’s Royale

Vanilla ice cream recipe adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Ingredients for ice cream:

1 cup whole milk

A good pinch of salt

¾ cup of sugar

3 teaspoons of vanilla

2 cups heavy cream

5 large egg yolks

Directions:

First, pour the cream into a metal bowl set inside a larger bowl filled with ice water.  Set aside.

Using a medium saucepan, heat the milk, salt, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved and just comes to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Using a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.  Slowly pour a little of the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly.  Add the egg yolks to the saucepan with the remaining milk.  Cook the custard over low heat, stirring and scraping the bottom of the saucepan with a heat-proof spatula until the custard thickens.  The custard is ready when it covers the back of a spoon or spatula.

Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the custard into the heavy cream.  Stir until cool to the touch.  Next, stir in the vanilla extract.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Churn the custard according to your ice cream manufacturer’s instructions.  Store in an air-tight container in your freezer.  This recipe makes 1 quart.  Enjoy!

Snickerdoodle Cookies

Makes 2 dozen

Recipe adapted from Baker’s Royale

Ingredients for cookies:

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon cinnamon + 1 tablespoon of cinnamon for sugar/cinnamon mixture

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ginger

1 ¾ cups sugar, divided

½ cup of vegetable shortening

1 stick + 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 400F.  Grab two baking sheets and cover with parchment paper.  Set aside.

Using a medium bowl whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.  Set aside.

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, shortening, and 1 + ½ cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl once or twice.  Add the eggs, one at a time until thoroughly combined.  Next, add the vanilla.  Reduce the speed to low and add dry ingredients.  Add the milk and mix until just combined.

Mix together 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and ¼ of sugar in a small bowl.

Using a cookie scoop, make round cookies balls.  Roll the dough in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until well coated and place on a prepared baking sheet.  Space the cookies two inches apart.  Place the baking sheet in the fridge.  Allow the cookies to chill for 20 minutes before baking.

Bake cookies until lightly golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.  Cool on pan for two minutes then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.  Store cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature until ready to make the ice cream sandwiches.

Ice cream sandwich assembly

Working quickly, add a rounded scoop of vanilla ice cream to one cookie.  Place another cookie on top.  Push down on the cookie top gently and evenly until the ice cream is evenly distributed.  Wrap in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for 4 to 6 hours.  Create an assembly line to make this process go faster!  Enjoy!

5 Must Check Out Ice Cream Sandwich Links

The cherry season may be over but don’t let that stop you from making Brown Butter Blondie’s dark cherry ice cream sandwiches.  I love the combination of fruit and chocolate, especially in ice cream.  Yum!

Samoas are by far my favorite girl scout cookie.  In high school I could easily eat an entire box on my own then truly wonder why I had a bellyache.  Broma Baker’s recipe for samoas ice cream sandwich cookies makes me want to make myself sick all over again.  Check them out!

Coffee ice cream fans head to Zoe Bakes for her no-churn coffee ice cream sandwiches.  They look like the perfect treat to whip up this weekend!

Rum raisin ice cream reminds me of my grandmother.  She loved it.  Head to The Candid Appetite for an oatmeal rum raisin ice cream sandwich that is sure to turn any non-believer into a believer.

It is officially fall and time to embrace all things pumpkin and gingerbread.  Head to Canelle et Vanille for a pumpkin and gingerbread ice cream sandwich recipe that is sure to satisfy your pumpkin craving.