12 minute read
Introducing the new all-stars – luscious ice-cream sandwiches in festive flavours
Your guests will love these impressive new treats. What better way to serve classic festive flavours on a sunny Christmas day!
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raspberry and sherry trifle ice-cream sandwiches
1 litre store-bought vanilla ice-cream, softened 2 tablespoons sweet sherry 1 litre store-bought raspberry sorbet, softened 12 store-bought shortbread biscuits
Place the vanilla ice-cream and sherry in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low speed until combined. Spoon the ice-cream mixture and raspberry sorbet into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm star nozzle and freeze for 15 minutes.
Working quickly, pipe the ice-cream mixture onto half the shortbread biscuits and sandwich with the remaining shortbread. Serve. MAKES 6.
cook 's notes
You can serve any of these ice-cream sandwiches immediately or place on a tray lined with non-stick baking paper and freeze for up to 1 day. Any leftover ice-cream can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month.
vanilla star christmas pudding ice-cream sandwiches
125g unsalted butter, chopped and softened ½ cup (110g) caster (superfine) sugar 1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1½ cups (225g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
pudding ice-cream
4 litres store-bought vanilla ice-cream, softened 300g store-bought Christmas pudding, chopped 1 tablespoon brandy
To make the pudding ice-cream, working in 2 batches, place the ice-cream in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low speed until softened. Add the Christmas pudding and brandy and mix to combine. Press the ice-cream mixture into a 25cm x 35cm slice tin lined with non-stick baking paper and freeze for 2 hours.
While the ice-cream is freezing, place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 8–10 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for 2–3 minutes or until well combined. Add the flour and beat until a smooth dough forms. Roll the dough out between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper to 4mm thick and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.
Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Use a 6cm star cookie cutter to cut out 24 stars, re-rolling the dough if necessary. Place the stars on 2 lightly greased baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper. Cook for 12–15 minutes or until dry to the touch. Set aside to cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Using the same cutter, cut out stars from the ice-cream and sandwich with the biscuits. Freeze until ready to
serve. MAKES 12.
eggnog ice-cream sandwiches with chocolate hazelnut snaps
½ cup (50g) hazelnut meal (ground hazelnuts) 3 teaspoons plain (all-purpose) flour 1½ tablespoons Dutch cocoa, sifted ²⁄³ cup (150g) white (granulated) sugar 60g unsalted butter, chopped 1 tablespoon milk 1 tablespoon liquid glucose
eggnog ice-cream
2 litres store-bought vanilla bean ice-cream, softened 1 tablespoon rum ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus extra to serve
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). To make the eggnog ice-cream, place the ice-cream, rum and nutmeg in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low speed until combined. Transfer the ice-cream mixture to a 2-litre-capacity loaf tin and freeze for 2 hours.
While the ice-cream is freezing, place the hazelnut meal, flour and cocoa in a small bowl and mix to combine. Place the sugar, butter, milk and glucose in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the butter has melted. Bring to the boil and cook for 1–2 minutes or until the mixture reaches 100°C (212°F) on a sugar (candy) thermometer. Remove from the heat, add the hazelnut mixture and mix until well combined. Set aside to cool for 1 minute.
Drop 2 teaspoons of the mixture, in batches, on 2 large baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper, allowing plenty of room to spread. Cook for 8 minutes or until flat and crisp. Set aside to cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining mixture to make 16 snaps. Top half the snaps with a scoop of ice-cream and sandwich with the remaining snaps. Sprinkle with extra nutmeg to serve. MAKES 8.
gingerbread and maple brandy ice-cream sandwiches
2 cups (300g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted ¾ teaspoon baking powder, sifted 2 teaspoons ground ginger ¼ teaspoon mixed spice 1 cup (175g) brown sugar ¹⁄³ cup (125g) molasses 125g unsalted butter, melted 1 egg ¼ cup (60ml) buttermilk icing (confectioner’s) sugar, for dusting
brandy ice-cream
¼ cup (60ml) maple syrup ¼ cup (60ml) brandy 2 litres store-bought vanilla ice-cream, softened
To make the brandy ice-cream, place the maple syrup and 2 tablespoons brandy in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, add the remaining brandy and refrigerate until cold. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the brandy mixture. Place the ice-cream and remaining brandy mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low speed until softened. Transfer the ice-cream mixture to a 2-litre-capacity loaf tin, swirl with the reserved brandy mixture and freeze for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the flour, baking powder, ginger and mixed spice in a large bowl. Place the brown sugar, molasses, butter, egg and buttermilk in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the brown sugar mixture to the flour mixture and mix well to combine. Place 1½ tablespoons of mixture, in batches, on 2 large baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper, allowing room to spread. Cook for 8–10 minutes or until dry to the touch. Set aside to cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Top half the biscuits with a scoop of ice-cream and sandwich with the remaining biscuits. Dust with icing sugar to serve. MAKES 8.
150ml eggwhites (about 4 eggwhites) 1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar 1 teaspoon white vinegar
raspberry ice-cream
125g frozen raspberries ¹⁄³ cup (75g) caster (superfine) sugar ¼ cup (60ml) water 1 litre store-bought vanilla bean ice-cream, softened
passionfruit ice-cream
¹⁄³ cup (80ml) passionfruit pulp (about 5 passionfruit) ½ cup (110g) caster (superfine) sugar ¼ cup (60ml) water 1 litre store-bought vanilla bean ice-cream, softened yellow food colouring (optional)
Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Place the eggwhites in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting 30 seconds between each addition. Once all the sugar has been added, whisk for a further 6 minutes or until stiff and glossy. Scrape down the side of the bowl, add the vinegar and whisk for a further 2 minutes or until glossy and combined. Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm round nozzle. Pipe 32 x 4cm discs on 3 baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper, allowing room to spread. Reduce the oven to 120°C (250°F) and cook for 40 minutes or until crisp to the touch. Turn the oven off and let the meringues cool in the oven for 40 minutes.
While the meringues are cooling, make the raspberry ice-cream. Place the raspberries, sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring to the boil and cook for 5– 6 minutes or until syrupy. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate until cold. Place the ice-cream and raspberry mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low speed until combined. Freeze for 30 minutes.
To make the passionfruit ice-cream, place the passionfruit, sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Cook for 6–8 minutes or until syrupy. Place in a small bowl and refrigerate until cold. Place the ice-cream, passionfruit mixture and food colouring, if using, in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low speed until combined. Freeze for 30 minutes.
Top one quarter of the meringues with the raspberry ice-cream and one quarter with the passionfruit ice-cream and sandwich with the remaining meringues to serve.
MAKES 16.
florentine ice-cream sandwiches
2 litres store-bought vanilla ice-cream, softened 2 cups (160g) natural sliced almonds ½ cup (75g) plain (all-purpose) flour 1 cup (170g) mixed peel ½ cup (100g) glacé cherries, chopped ¾ cup (265g) honey ¾ cup (165g) white (granulated) sugar 20g unsalted butter, chopped 100g dark chocolate, melted 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Place the ice-cream in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low speed until smooth. Press the ice-cream into a 20cm x 30cm slice tin lined with non-stick baking paper and freeze for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the almonds, flour, mixed peel and cherry in a large heatproof bowl and set aside. Place the honey, sugar and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil and cook for 2–2½ minutes or until the mixture reaches 118°C (244°F) on a sugar (candy) thermometer. Pour the honey mixture over the almond mixture and mix to combine. Transfer to a lightly greased 27cm x 34cm slice tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Place the tin on a large baking tray and cook for 18–20 minutes or until golden around the edges and bubbling. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Using a lightly greased 8cm round cutter, cut out 12 rounds from the florentine mixture. Place the rounds on a piece of non-stick baking paper for 15 minutes to cool and set.
Place the chocolate and oil in a small bowl and mix to combine. Dip the base of each florentine in the chocolate and place, chocolate-side up, on a tray. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to set. Using the same round cutter, cut 6 rounds from the ice-cream. Sandwich the ice-cream between the florentines. Serve. MAKES 6.
Stir pudding into ice-cream for an easy and festive filling for these chocolate trees
spiced chocolate and christmas pudding ice-cream sandwiches
125g unsalted butter, chopped and softened ½ cup (110g) caster (superfine) sugar 1 egg 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1½ cups (225g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted ¹⁄³ cup (35g) Dutch cocoa, sifted ½ teaspoon mixed spice
pudding ice-cream
4 litres store-bought vanilla ice-cream, softened 300g store-bought Christmas pudding, chopped 1 tablespoon brandy
To make the pudding ice-cream, working in two batches, place the ice-cream in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low speed until softened. Add the Christmas pudding and brandy and mix to combine. Press the ice-cream mixture into a 25cm x 35cm slice tin lined with non-stick baking paper and freeze for 2 hours.
While the ice-cream is freezing, place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 8–10 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for 2–3 minutes or until well combined. Add the flour, cocoa and mixed spice and beat until a smooth dough forms. Roll the dough out between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper to 4mm thick and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.
Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Use a 9cm Christmas tree cookie cutter to cut out 20 trees, re-rolling the dough if necessary. Place the trees on 2 lightly greased baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper. Cook for 12–15 minutes or until dry to the touch. Set aside to cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Using the same cutter, cut out trees from the ice-cream and sandwich with the biscuits. Freeze until ready to serve. MAKES 10.
cherry rocky road ice-cream sandwiches
100g unsalted butter, melted and cooled ½ cup (90g) brown sugar ¹⁄³ cup (75g) white (granulated) sugar 1 egg 1 tablespoon milk ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of (baking) soda ¼ teaspoon baking powder 1 cup (150g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted ¼ teaspoon table salt ¼ cup (25g) Dutch cocoa, sifted 100g dark chocolate, chopped
cherry ripple ice-cream
2 cups (300g) fresh cherries, pitted and chopped ¼ cup (55g) caster (superfine) sugar ¼ cup (60ml) water 2 litres store-bought vanilla ice-cream, softened 1½ cups (120g) white marshmallows, chopped
To make the cherry ripple ice-cream, place the cherry, sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 6–8 minutes or until syrupy. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate until cold.
Place ¼ cup (60ml) of the cherry mixture in a small bowl and reserve. Place the ice-cream and marshmallows in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low speed until combined. Swirl through the remaining cherry mixture, transfer to a 2-litre-capacity loaf tin and freeze for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Place the butter, brown sugar and white sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed for 6–8 minutes or until combined and sandy. Add the egg and beat on high speed for 2 minutes or until pale and creamy. Place the milk, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder in a small bowl and mix to combine. Add the milk mixture, flour, salt, cocoa and chocolate to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until combined.
Spoon tablespoons of the mixture, in batches, onto 2 large baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper, allowing room to spread. Cook for 15 minutes or until just firm to the touch. Set aside to cool on the trays for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Top half the biscuits with a scoop of ice-cream and sandwich with the remaining biscuits. Serve with the reserved cherry mixture. MAKES 8.
