Ice Cream Sandwiches

Sometimes….you just feel like being bad.

Really bad.

‘Nuff said.

Ice Cream Sandwiches
Tweaked from Gourmet and The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, yields 10 gigantic ice cream sandwiches

Make sure to use old fashioned oats for the cookies.  Quick, or instant, oats won’t work for this recipe (trust me).  If you want to elevate these babies one notch further, assemble the sandwiches while the cookies are the slightest bit warm.  Not so warm that it instantly melts the ice cream, but just warm enough so you notice.

Music Pairing: I Like to Move It, Move It, Madagascar Music Video (I don’t know what I like better – these ice cream sandwiches or this video).  Turn up the volume, sit back and watch this one!  I dare you not to laugh.

Ingredients
vanilla bean ice cream:

• 1 cup whole milk
• a pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
• 5 egg yolks
• 2 cups heavy cream
• a few drops of vanilla extract

oatmeal peanut butter chocolate chip cookies:

• 3/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 6 ounces, semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method
for vanilla bean ice cream:

Heat the milk, salt, and sugar in a saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the milk with the tip of a paring knife. Add the bean pod to the milk.

Stir together the egg yolks in a bowl and gradually add some of the warmed milk, stirring constantly as you pour. Pour the warmed yolks back into the saucepan.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula. Strain the custard into the heavy cream. Rinse the vanilla bean and put it back into the custard and cream to continue steeping. Chill thoroughly, then remove the vanilla bean and freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions.

for oatmeal peanut butter chocolate chip cookies:

In a food processor, pulse 1/2 cup oats until ground fine. Stir together ground oats, remaining 1/4 cup whole oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and peanut butter, combine well.  Add egg and beat well.  Gradually beat in flour mixture. Add chocolate chips and mix until just combined. Chill cookie dough, covered, 20 minutes, up to 1 week.

Preheat oven to 325°F.  Form rounded tablespoons of dough into balls and arrange about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten balls slightly.  Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven 15 minutes, or until just pale golden. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes and transfer to racks to cool completely.

Assembly & Serving

Drop a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream between two cookies and squeeze gently together.  Place between fingers of both hands and commence the badness.