Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches ~ AKA Chipwich

I recently enjoyed a Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich from the ice cream man- 2 big chocolate chip cookies sandwiching a big gob of vanilla ice cream.  What a lovely combination I thought as I enjoyed bite after bite and segwayed into my second sandwich.  If I wanted to enjoy this simple pleasure again though, what would I do?  As they are not readily available in supermarkets and the ice cream man is not coming around any more with fall creeping up on us.  Make my own at home, that's what I could do!  So I set out to make these, semi-homemade ~ take your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe (mine's below) and sandwich them with a good vanilla ice cream 
  

Chocolate Chip Cookies - makes 1 dozen cookies - enough for 6 sandwiches

1 1/4 cups flour

1 1/8 tsp baking soada

 1 1/8 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 gran sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 lg egg, room temp

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together, set aside.  In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream together the butter, vanilla and sugars on med until light and fluffy about 3 mins.  Add the egg, and blend.  On low add the dry ingredients in 2 additions, scraping the bowl after each, mix on low until blended, add the chocolate chips and mix until combined.  Using a 2 Tbsp cookie scoop, scoop batter into baking pan about 2 inches apart.  Bake @350 degrees for 13-15 mins.  The cookies should be golden brown around the edges but still light in center.  Cool cookies on a wire rack.  Once cooled lay out cookies on wax paper and start assembling the ice cream sandwiches.  Turn over 1/2 the cookies and scoop a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of each bottom.  Press the top cookie gently onto the ice cream   

Then wrap each sandwich in saran wrap and place finished cookies in freezer to harden up.  Once completely frozen place wrapped cookies in a freezer safe bag, ready for eating whenever the craving hits.

They're even better then the ones from the ice cream man!

Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate and Peanut Sweet and Salty Toffee

This toffee is sooo good, its sweet, buttery, chocolaty and salty the perfect answer for your sweet tooth and salty cravings!  And because its so rich and full of flavor you don't need to eat much to feel satisfied.  You will need a candy thermometer, a heavy pot, a metal offset spatula, a 18 X 11 baking sheet, and caution as the mixture cooks to 300 degrees.

 

 

Recipe

4 sticks unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

1/4 tsp salt

16 oz container cocktail peanuts - separate - 3 cups for toffee mixture - 1 cup for topping, chopped

8 oz bittersweet chocolate finely chopped

Line a large cookie sheet (18X11) with parchment paper and spray with baking spray.  Bring the butter, sugar and salt to a boil in a heavy pot thats fitted with a candy thermometer over med-high heat, whisking until smooth.  When a boil is reached, stir occasionally, until the color is deep golden and reaches 300 degrees, this will take about 15-20 mins.  Then stir in 3 cups of the peanuts, then carefully pour this mixture into center of prepared baking pan.  Spread with spatula, smoothing the top, and let stand 1 minute, then sprinkle chocolate evenly on top.  Let stand until melted about 4 mins, then spread chocolate over toffee until smooth.  Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and let set, it will set quicker in fridge or freezer.  Break into pieces and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Sweet and Salty Tofee

 

Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Candy thermometers are available here:

http://astore.amazon.com/rosscoubak-20/detail/B00004XSC9