Earl Grey Ice Cream Sandwiches
We’re back from vacation, and it feels good! I know that’s probably a weird thing to say, and our vacation was mostly lovely and relaxing (I say mostly because I was sick and on antibioticstore for the majority of it—ick), but I’m a creature of habit and I really enjoy my normal day-to-day and feeling productive. I think this means I am bad at taking vacation? Regardless, our week in Maine served its purpose because I came back feeling motivated to take on the world! (slight exaggeration, that might be the green juice talking)
Before we packed our small car with a week’s worth of groceries/s’mores materials, two dogs, our Vitamix (essential), and a giant straw hat (really essential since the antibiotics made my skin do weird things in the sun), I made ice cream sandwiches for Aaron as a little pre-vacation celebration. Ulysses Press sent me a copy of Kris Holechek Peters’ new Vegan Ice Cream Sandwiches cookbook, which seemed like it would be a hit with my cookie-loving husband and my ice-cream-loving self. I narrowed down the recipes I wanted to make and share to oh, half the book, because who can really choose between Strawberry Balsamic Swirl, Tart Cherry Almond, Shirley Temple (!!!), and Pistachio Cardamom Dream? Aaron, thankfully, is much more decisive and voted for the Orange Zest Shortbread Cookies with Earl Grey Ice Cream. He didn’t have to twist my arm—I adore Earl Grey.
Everything turned out really well, with the exception of the cookies which came out extra crispy (read: burnt) on the bottom courtesy of my recently unpredictable oven. It was nothing a generous scoop of ice cream couldn’t fix. And true to form, Aaron devoured a lot of the cookies straight out of the oven before I made the sandwiches, which meant leftover ice cream at the end. Totally fine by me.
A couple of notes: I followed the recipe exactly for the cookies and found them to be very sweet, so I cut down on the sugar in the ice cream by a third. I also used homemade cashew milk in place of the recommended soy or hemp milk. The arrowroot is a nice addition to the ice cream because it gives it more of a silky texture, similar to store-bought vegan ice creams.
Earl Grey Ice Cream Sandwiches
Earl Grey Ice Cream Sandwiches
Serves: 12 to 16 sandwiches
Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 30 mins
Non-dairy ice cream infused with Earl Grey tea and crisp, zesty orange cookies are a pairing perfect for tea (or any other) time.
Cuisine: Vegan Servings: 12 to 16 sandwiches
Prep Time: 3 hours Cook Time: 30 mins
Non-dairy ice cream infused with Earl Grey tea and crisp, zesty orange cookies are a pairing perfect for tea (or any other) time.
Instructions
- To make the cookies: In a large bowl, cream together the margarine, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla until well combined. Add the flour to the margarine mixture in batches and mix until the dough is soft and smooth. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a rectangular log, about 5 inches long, 3 inches high, and 2 inches wide. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the logs from the fridge. Using a sharp knife, cut the logs into ¼-inch-thick slices, pressing the sides of the log as you cut to maintain its shape. Place the sliced cookies on the prepared baking sheets 1 inch apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Let the cookies cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
- To make the ice cream: In a large saucepan, combine ½ cup of the sugar and the milk, whisking to incorporate. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, whisking frequently. Once it reaches a boil, remove from the heat, place the tea bags in the pan, and steep, covered, for 15 minutes. While the tea is steeping, combine the remaining sugar and starch in a small bowl. Remove the tea bags (carefully squeezing them out), and return the pan to medium heat and whisk in the sugar/starch mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla, and mix to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to a heat-resistant bowl and let it cool completely.
- Pour the mixture into the bowl of a 1½- or 2-quart ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for at least 2 hours before assembling the sandwiches.
- To make the sandwiches: Let the ice cream soften slightly so it’s easy to scoop. Place half of the cookies, bottoms up, on a clean surface. Scoop one generous scoop of ice cream, about ⅓ cup, onto the top of each cookie. Top the ice cream with the remaining cookies, with the cookie bottoms touching the ice cream. Gently press down on the cookies to level them out. Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap or waxed paper and return to the freezer for at least 30 minutes before eating.
From Vegan Ice Cream Sandwiches by Kris Holechek Peters. Reprinted with permission from Ulysses Press, © 2014.
