This recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches starts out strangely. That's because I want you to put the cookies in the freezer and the ice cream on the counter. You read that right, I want you to get your cookies cold and your ice cream warm. That's the kind of thing my mother would call the old switcheroo. You know, when you take the expected and turn it on its head. That's something else my mom might have said. Well, that and it's better than a kick in the pants. Which is very true. These switcharoo Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches are indeed better than any kick in the pants I ever had.
The best Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches (or any other type of ice cream sandwiches) start out with freshly baked, chewy cookies. In my opinion chewy cookies work better because they don't get as brittle as crisp cookies do when frozen. And, as I said, I think the cookies should be frozen before you assemble these peanut butter ice cream sandwiches. So put the cookies in the freezer and the ice cream on the counter – and let's get started.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches
Lay half the cold cookies onto a clean counter (topside down – duh). Place a big dollop of ice cream in the center of one cookie. The ice cream should have set on the counter long enough that it scoops with very little effort, but is not yet drippy (and messy). A generous amount of ice cream is necessary to avoid a dessert-time revolt of the masses. Next, use the back of the scoop to slightly flatten the ice cream, then place another cookie on top (topside up – duh). Then gently and evenly twist and press the top cookie down with the flat palm of your hand to create the sandwich. Use your finger to clean up the edges and redistribute some of the oozing ice cream. Place the finished ice cream sandwich onto a fresh from the freezer baking sheet. Then quickly repeat, repeat, repeat until all the sandwiches are made. If you want to get fancy you can dip the sandwiches in slightly cooled, melted chocolate. You'll definitely get a few oohs and ahhs at the table if you do.
Once you've got them to this point (chocolate-dipped or not) let me give you some (more) advice. DO NOT SERVE THEM IMMEDIATELY. Freeze them for a bit. Once frozen they may be wrapped in parchment individually. When you're ready to serve, let them sit at room temperature for a few moments. If you serve them on a hot night (which of course you will) they'll be delightfully biteable in about 5 minutes.
Just so you know, there are differing opinions about constructing ice cream sandwiches out there. In fact, on the subject of how to Make the the Absolutely, Positively Best Ice Cream Sandwich, the otherwise highly dependable website The Kitchn gets it Absolutely, Positively wrong. I know because I tried it their way. Everything about their version (which requires a soft, hot cookie and hard cold ice cream) is a mess. That includes my kitchen counters. I will tolerate a lot of things in the pursuit of perfection, but sticky counters is not one of them. GREG
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