Egan - The ice cream sandwiches book: 50 recipes for incredibly cool treats

CONTENTS

LIST OF RECIPES

About the Author

Donna Egan founded the Buttercup Cake Shop, Londons first cupcakery, in 2006. Its original location in Londons Kensington was soon joined by two outlets: in Westfield London and Kent, making Buttercup the first London cupcake-seller to infiltrate the heart of England, residence to many avid home bakers. In 2011, Buttercup opened its fourth outlet on the site of the UK 2012 Olympics in the new Westfield Stratford City the largest shopping centre in Europe. Buttercup has been recognised across the press by titles including Time Out, Metro, Daily Mail, Financial Times, Cond Nasts Brides , and British Baker , as well as being featured on Rachel Allens TV show, Bake.

Buttercup began selling ice cream sandwiches and cupshakes in Spring 2011. They proved instantly popular to customers of all ages and became the impetus for writing this book.

Donna combines a corporate background in consumer marketing with her role as a mum who bakes. Originally from California, she has lived in London for 12 years, as well as previously having lived and worked in Mexico and France. Today she lives in South London with her husband and two daughters, aged 14 and 9, who also love to bake.

About the Book

• Deliciously tempting cookies. Smooth, tasty fillings. Put the two together and you have ice cream sandwiches, the scrumptious new hit with foodie lovers everywhere!
• From decadent Peanut Butter Dreams to fresh n fruity Rose Meringues, festive Merry Drums to refreshing Chocolate Cupshakes, this ultimate icy indulgence contains every recipe you need, from brownie bases to melon sorbets.
• The ideal treat for both kids and adults, with over 50 simple and tasty recipes, The Ice Cream Sandwiches Book is the only guide youll need for this baking revolution.

For my daughters, Audrey and Amelia: often patient, usually encouraging, always inspiring.

INTRODUCTION

Cool, creamy vanilla ice cream surrounded by chewy chocolatey brownie. Crunchy, buttery oatmeal cookies encasing refreshing mint choc-chip ice cream, indulgently dipped in slightly bitter chocolate. Ice cream sandwiches are among the sweetest memories of my childhood just as much a part of summers growing up in California as running through the garden sprinklers in our swimsuits.

Ice cream sandwiches are traditionally made by sandwiching ice cream between two baked cookies, biscuits or wafers. Combining the crunchy, chewy cookies with creamy, cold ice cream somehow more than doubles the resulting pleasure.

No wonder ice cream sandwiches for generations in the US have been a favourite treat for children and adults alike. They made their debut in New York City in the 1890s, and quickly caught on across the US, with one particular version being honoured as The Official Food of San Francisco. They eventually found their way to places as diverse as Australia, Scotland and Singapore, where they are usually made by adding a scoop of ice cream between two layers of rainbow-coloured bread!

I launched my Buttercup Cake Shop in London in 2006. As we expanded into a premiere cupcake company with locations in Kent and London (including the 2012 Olympics site), we started to get quite a few enquiries about whether we also sold ice cream. This got me thinking what goes better with cake than ice cream!? We began offering cupcakes blended with vanilla ice cream and called it a cupshake; ice cream on top of cupcakes (cupcake sundae); and my childhood favourite ice cream sandwiches.

Ice cream sandwiches made their UK debut at Buttercup in spring 2011 and have proven instantly popular. We bake the cookies fresh every day and assemble the sandwiches to order on the spot, so they are soft and ready to enjoy immediately. While initially I envisioned them being mostly popular with children, it turns out I wasnt the only adult keen to indulge! I especially get a kick out of watching stylish men in their twenties and thirties tuck in unreservedly. Today, ice cream sandwiches have become hotter than ever! They are the latest comfort food to receive gourmet status with bakeries and gelato shops in New York City, where endless possible combinations of ice cream and cookie are available.

In this book you will discover easy, step-by-step instructions on how to prepare, assemble and decorate delicious and novel sandwiches. Rose Meringues are ideal for a dinner party, and White Chocolate Chip Teddies will be a hit at any childs birthday. In addition, try our special treats for seasonal celebrations, such as Graveyard Coffins for Halloween and Flocked Trees for Christmas. And when nothing but the most indulgent treat will suffice, try our Caramel Snickerdoodle-doos an irresistible combination of vanilla, caramel and cinnamon or Aloha Sandwiches a marriage of chocolate, toasted coconut and macadamia nut that will transport you to paradise!

Whichever the occasion, youll find that making ice cream sandwiches is straightforward. Its an activity that can be shared with children, and with some adult help, cutting and filling the sandwiches is not only a doddle but also boosts their confidence in the kitchen.

For ease of use, the recipes are divided into three sections: the sandwiches (with assembly and decoration ideas), cookie recipes and main ice cream recipes. We have included recipes for ice cream you can make at home, including some that dont require an ice-cream maker and still result in a creamy, smooth texture. The division of cookie and ice cream recipes also makes mixing and matching easier should you want to customise. Feel free to experiment with flavour combinations, add your own decorations and adjust the portion sizes as you wish.

If you are short on time, there is always the option of using store-bought cookies and/or ice cream. You can easily make any of the cookies or ice creams a day ahead and do the assembly and decoration separately. Ice cream sandwiches can be stored in the freezer for several weeks, so theyre the perfect solution to impromptu get-togethers with friends, last-minute playdates or when you crave a guilty pleasure.

I hope you will have fun in the kitchen with the recipes that follow and wish you pleasurable satisfaction with the resulting creations. Happy Sandwiching!

COOKS NOTES

Equipment

For all recipes requiring an ice-cream maker, I use a simple 1.1 litre (2 pint) capacity model, where the bowl portion is popped into the freezer for at least several hours before adding ingredients and churning. With this type of machine, remember that the base must be fully re-frozen between each batch.

Speciality ice cream sandwich moulds by Tovolo or Kitchen Craft can be used for creating shapes and assembling, including making an imprint on the top of the sandwich. Wilton now sells a pour- or scoop-in sandwich mould that can be used for round brownie or cookie bases. Otherwise, standard cookie cutters may be used.

Baking times vary with different oven and tin types. For the brownies and bars, I use tins from Lakeland, which measure approximately 38 25 2cm (15 10 1in). For the cookie recipes, I use insulated cookie sheets. The recipes give conventional oven temperatures. However, I use a fan oven, which requires a lower oven temperature and often shorter cooking times. In many recipes, a range of cooking times is given to allow for potential adjustments.