Recipe: Toffee Ice Cream Sandwiches

The classic combination of oatmeal cookies and milk. Together at last in a cool summer treat. These ice cream sandwiches start with oatmeal cookies speckled with flecks of chocolate. Nestled between them is purchased vanilla ice cream (for ease) that gets dressed up with bits of toffee.

Of course, these ice cream sandwiches also are easily adapted to whatever flavors you're hankering for. Finely chopped dried fruit, dark or white chocolate chips, or other small candies could be substituted for the chocolate in the cookies or for the toffee bits in the ice cream. And just about any flavor ice cream can be used.

Ingredients:

Start to finish: 2 hours (15 minutes active)

Makes 12 sandwiches

For the cookies:

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cups rolled oats

1/2 cup finely chopped chocolate, bitter or semi-sweet

For the ice cream:

1 pint vanilla ice cream

1 cup crushed toffee bits (found in the baking aisle)

To make the cookies, heat the oven to 350 F.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well.

Stir in the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in the oats and chocolate. Divide the dough into 24 tablespoon-size balls and arrange on 2 ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches of space between them. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Transfer the cookies to a rack and cool completely.

Soften the ice cream until it can be stirred, but is not melted. The easiest way to do this is to transfer the ice cream to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 10-second intervals until it reaches the desired consistency. Add the toffee bits and mix well.

While the ice cream is soft, scoop a bit onto the bottom of a cooled cookie, then top with another cookie. Freeze until the ice cream is solid. Store in an airtight container in the freezer.

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The Joys of Homemade Ice Cream

Ice cream and pizza are alike in a lot of ways. First of all, they are both universal favorites, loved by young children, teenagers and adults or all ages the world over.

Both ice cream and pizza start with very simple basic recipes that can be altered to provide endless variety, making it possible to enjoy different delicious choices every day of the year.

All ice cream recipes begin with three basic ingredients: vanilla, cream and sugar. By simply allowing you imagination to take control, you can add just about any combination of fruit, nuts, flavored syrups and toppings to easily create your very own unique concoctions.

Why not give your creations a brand name all its own or come up with some fancy titles for the different flavor you dream up? After all, one of the world’s biggest ice cream distributors did exactly that with flavors named after famous people and even animals.

You can even make ice cream alternatives such as sorbet, frozen yogurt and sherbet, which can also be adapted and enhanced with flavorings, fruit, nuts, syrups and other toppings to create an altogether different range of tempting treats.

If you happen to be lactose intolerant or if you are calorie conscious, there is no need to eliminate your beloved frozen treats from your diet. By making your own ice cream, sorbet, sherbet and frozen yogurt, you can still enjoy all your favorites because you make them yourself, using alternative low fat and lactose free ingredients.
One more thing pizza has in common with ice cream is that both can very easily be made at home.

Easy to use electric ice cream makers can be purchased for home use starting at prices as low as $40 or less. You can even turn ice cream making into a challenging fun filled game for the children with a couple of coffee cans and some duct tape. Making ice cream at home can become so addictive it can become a passion of the whole family with dad, mom and the kids coming home nearly every day with a whole set of brand new ideas for making ice cream.

Regardless of whether your favorite ice cream recipe is as simple as the three basic ingredients of vanilla, sugar and cream or if you take a shortcut and just buy your favorite brand of vanilla ice cream and add on your favorite toppings, the outcome is the same. By personalizing your ice cream, you are among a legion of ice cream lovers around the world who take great delight in enjoying one of life's simplest and most delicious pleasures.

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Recipe - Beer ice cream

Servings: 2 to 4

Note: Adapted from Matt Schreiber, who adapted it from Antoine Westermann at the restaurant Beurheisel in Strasbourg.

Ingredients:

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup Alsatian beerCHANGE BEER? OR MAKE SUGGESTIONS IN NOTE?

1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until they are pale and lemon colored. Bring the beer and the cream to a simmer in a heavy-bottom saucepan, then slowly pour over the sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over low heat, whisking frequently, until it thickens.

2. Pour through a strainer into a mixing bowl set over ice and whisk until cool. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

Each of 4 servings: XX calories; XX grams protein; XX grams carbohydrates; XX grams fiber; XX grams fat; XX grams saturated fat; XX mg. cholesterol; XX grams sugar; XX mg. sodium.

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Recipe - Strawberry and balsamic ice cream

Ingredients:

* 450g (1lb) strawberries, washed, hulled and chopped

* 3tbsp balsamic vinegar

* 300ml (10fl oz) double cream

* 1 x 218g tin condensed milk

* 200ml (7fl oz) ready-made custard

METHOD:

Line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with clingfilm. Place the strawberries in a bowl with the vinegar. Stir and leave to marinate for about 30 minutes. Whizz the strawberries in a food processor until smooth. Pour the double cream into a bowl and whisk until it forms soft peaks. Stir in the condensed milk, custard and strawberry purée. Pour the mixture into the lined tin and freeze for up to 6 hours. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving.

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Ice cream - the perfect finale

The barbecue ribs were done to perfection, so full of flavor and tender. The baked beans added just the right taste contrast.

What a marvelous meal. Well, just about, except something seems to be missing. Ah, yes, a simple scoop of sweetness would be so satisfying and complete a delightful repast.

Of course, that perfect finale is ice cream. Whether you're a chocolate or a fruit lover, there is a variety of ice cream to please you. Just imagine one that satisfies both your love of chocolate and fruit.

The White Chocolate Ice Cream served with Raspberry Sauce does exactly that. The ice cream recipe is included today, and for the Raspberry Sauce, process one (12-ounce) package frozen raspberries, thawed, in a food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Press through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a saucepan; discard pulp and seeds.

In a small bowl, stir together 1/3 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Add to pureed raspberries and stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook, stirring often, for two minutes. Remove from heat; pour into small bowl, cover and chill one hour.To further your love of chocolate, make a quick chocolate sauce. Microwave 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half and a 4 ounce semisweet chocolate baking bar, chopped, until smooth (about one and a half minutes), stirring at 30 second intervals. Serve with today's recipe or another favorite ice cream.

Kids also love this sauce for dipping marshmallows.Another sauce youngsters will enjoy for dipping their marshmallows (or to top vanilla ice cream) is Peanut Butter Sauce. For 2 cups sauce, bring 1 cup sugar, 3/4 cup evaporated milk, 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/8 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, until sauce is smooth and thick, about three minutes.Maybe you're especially fond of nuts; the Butter Pecan Ice Cream featured today will certainly please you. The toasted pecans combined with a rich custard make this ice cream one that just might call for a second scoop.Don't be concerned if you don't have a freezer to make your ice cream. The Magic Vanilla Ice Cream included today doesn't require one. All you need to make this luscious treat is an electric mixer. Sound impossible? Not at all. By whipping heavy cream for the air that an ice cream machine incorporates, and by including sweetened condensed milk for a creamy texture, you can make Magic Ice Cream.

You may think it strange that sour cream is in this recipe. The sour cream adds richness, body and tang to counter the sweetness of the condensed milk and white chocolate.The quality of white chocolate chips can vary greatly. Guittard Choc-O-Lait Chips or Ghirardelli Classic White Chips are excellent choices.Now, with any of these delicious ice creams, you really do have the perfect finale for that great barbecue feast.

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