Double Malt Ice Cream Sandwiches #chocolateparty

Did you ever get a malt cup from an ice cream truck as a kid?  Malt cups were always my favorite.  It's not a bar or anything fancy--just a cup of chocolate malt ice cream that you eat with one of those little spoons.  I've been wanting one forever, so I finally ordered some Milo online and made my own version.  If you like malt, you will LOVE this.

I was just thinking about ice cream, but then I found out that this month's chocolate party secret ingredient was ice cream, and that the recipes had to call for both ice cream AND chocolate (so, not just ice cream with chocolate in it!).  Well, what else was there to do?  I baked up some lightly malted chocolate chip cookies and stuffed the ice cream inside.  These ice cream sandwiches would also be delicious with any other ice cream flavor--feel free to use store bought or your favorite homemade flavor.

P.S.  While you're here, check out this giveaway!  You could win a copy of an awesome food photography e-book.



Ingredients:

For the cookies (from Hummingbird on High's recipe, makes about 24):

1 cup flour
Rounded 1/4 cup Milo
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick butter (8 tablespoons), at room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet baking melts)

For the ice cream sandwiches (makes 12):

24 cookies
1 quart chocolate malt ice cream (recipe below) or any other ice cream, softened

To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 375 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and Milo and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and two sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla, and beat just until combined.

Add the flour mixture to the other ingredients, and mix by hand JUST until combined.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Using a tablespoon measure, spoon out tablespoon-sized balls of dough at least 2 inches apart on the parchment paper.  Bake for about 8 minutes, until cookies are just set and barely beginning to brown around the edges.  Let them cool for a few minutes on the sheet to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Once they are cool, stick them in the freezer for an hour or so.  This will make it easier to assemble the ice cream sandwiches.

To make the sandwiches, match the cookies up by size.  Place a scoop of softened ice cream on one frozen cookie (bottom side up), and top with the other cookie, top side up.  Smoosh a little to help the ice cream get to the edges.  Wrap each ice cream sandwich individually and store in the freezer for up to two weeks.  Before serving, let the sandwiches thaw for about five minutes.

Ingredients for the chocolate malt ice cream:

1/2 cup Milo
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups heavy cream, divided
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
1 cup Whoppers, crushed (optional)

In a medium saucepan, combine the Milo, sugar, and half the cream.  Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar and Milo are dissolved and no clumps are left.  Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining cream and the milk.

Chill the mixture completely by refrigerating overnight or placing in the freezer for about an hour.  Once the mixture is totally chilled, freeze it in your ice cream maker.  When the ice cream is almost done, add the Whoppers, if using.  Store in the freezer in an airtight container.

Want to participate in this month's chocolate party by sharing a treat with chocolate and ice cream?  Here's how to participate:

1.) Blog about your chocolate treat. Your recipe must include the two ingredients we choose (chocolate and ice cream for July). It can be a simple no bake treat or a sophisticated layer cake, the complexity level of the recipe is totally up to you.
2.) Include a link back to a monthly round-up or the Chocolate party page. Optional, add the Chocolate Party logo in your blog post or on your sidebar.
3.) Your recipe must be published during the current month. Please do not link old recipes, they will be deleted.
4.)  Add your link below! 

Double Strawberry Ice Cream

You may have noticed I am on a bit of a strawberry kick recently (see no-bake strawberry swirl cheesecake bars, strawberry shortcakes with balsamic chocolate glaze, strawberry & cream margaritas, and strawberry curd).  Well, the strawberry love continues.  This is partly because I still have a jar of strawberry curd in my fridge, and am tempted to add it to just about anything.  However, if you don't feel like making strawberry curd (but really, why wouldn't you?  twenty minutes and your strawberries will last for weeks in the fridge in a delicious, spreadable form) you can still make this ice cream.  Just omit the strawberry curd for single strawberry ice cream, or replace it with an equal amount of fresh strawberry puree.



This ice cream is rich and creamy thanks to the vanilla bean, strawberry curd, and custard base.  You have to try it!  It's also a wonderfully pastel shade of pink, my favorite color.



Ingredients (makes 1 1/2 quarts, adapted from Martha Stewart):

8 egg yolks (save the whites for breakfast or meringues)
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 cups milk (I used 2%, but Martha calls for skim)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 vanilla bean
1 pound strawberries, hulled and finely chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup strawberry curd or fresh strawberry puree

In a saucepan (off the heat for now), combine the egg yolks, 2/3 cup of sugar, and salt.  Gradually whisk in the milk.  Scrape the seeds of half a vanilla bean into the mix, and throw the bean in, too.

Heat the mixture over medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until thickened, about 10-15 minutes.

Prepare a bowl set oven an ice bath (a larger bowl filled with ice or ice water).  Place a fine-meshed sieve on top.  Pour the thickened custard through the sieve, discarding the vanilla bean.  Stir in the cream and strawberry curd.  Let the mixture chill, stirring occasionally.  When the mixture is cold, I recommend you refrigerate it overnight to make sure it's REALLY chilled.

Mix the chopped strawberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar and set aside.

When the custard mixture is completely chilled, freeze in your ice cream maker.  A few minutes before the ice cream is ready, add in the strawberries.

Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

You can also sandwich some of this between two honey vanilla cookies for the world's best ice cream sandwich!