black cocoa cookie coffee-almond ice cream sandwiches recipe
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Recipe type: dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 12
 
Ingredients
  • FOR THE ICE CREAM: 1 cup (250ml) whole milk
  • a pinch of salt
  • ¾ cup (150g) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
  • 2 cups (500ml) heavy cream
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, divided (I made my own)
  • 1 cup almonds, chopped and toasted, plus more for decorating edges of ice cream sandwiches
  • FOR THE COOKIES: 1 cup butter, browned
  • 3 tablespoons instant espresso or strong coffee
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1¾ cups flour
  • ¾ cup black cocoa powder (I bought mine online at the King Arthur Flour website.)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. FOR THE ICE CREAM: Heat the milk, salt, coffee, and sugar in a saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Cover, remove from heat, and allow to sit for one hour.
  2. Set up an ice bath by placing a 2-quart bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice and water. Set a strainer over the top of the smaller bowl and pour the cream into the bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, stir together the egg yolks. Gently rewarm the milk then gradually pour some of the milk into the yolks, whisking constantly as you pour.* Scrape the mixture back into the saucepan.
  4. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula. There might be some stringy, eggy bits: no worries. See the next step.
  5. Strain the custard into the heavy cream. Stir over the ice until cool, add the other teaspoon of vanilla extract, then refrigerate to chill thoroughly. I did this step overnight.
  6. Remove from the refrigerator and pour into the bowl of an ice cream machine. Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions, adding the almonds just before finishing the mixing. After the ice cream is made, transfer to an airtight container. This recipe makes 1 quart. If not using for ice cream sandwiches, cover tightly and freeze until ready to serve. Otherwise, proceed to the next step.
  7. FOR THE COOKIES: While the cream mixture is cooling in the fridge, make the cookies.
  8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and prepare a sheet pan with parchment or silicon mat.
  9. Melt the butter in a small pan or in microwave.
  10. Mix in coffee or espresso to the melted butter.
  11. Add the coffee-butter mixture to the sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer and whisk together on high for about 2-3 minutes. It will look like a smooth caramel type sauce.
  12. Add the eggs one at a time and continue whisking on high.
  13. Meanwhile, combine all of the dry ingredients, including the chocolate chips.
  14. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until you have a smooth cookie dough.
  15. Scoop the cookie dough and bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool before assembling sandwiches.
  16. ASSEMBLY: Match up the cookies that are the exact same size as each other in pairs.
  17. Slather a cookie with softened coffee ice cream and top them with the top half of the cookie pair. Roll in toasted almonds, if desired (I desired, and did.)
  18. Freeze the sandwiches at least an hour, and then smooth the ice cream around the edges, scraping off any extra. Serve immediately or freeze until you are ready to eat.
  19. Makes 1 quart of ice cream and 12 ice cream sandwiches. I recommend using a small ice cream scooper, #60 perhaps, for smaller cookies if using for sandwiches. They are very rich.
Recipe by story of a kitchen at https://www.storyofakitchen.com/dessert-recipes/black-cocoa-cookie-coffee-almond-ice-cream-sandwiches-recipe/