key lime pie ice cream sammiches

just because i live in a climate where 75 degrees is considered sweltering doesn't mean i'm immune to the it's-june-and-that-means-frozen-summer-treats mindset. i recently read that ciao bella is releasing several new frozen desserts this summer....one being a key lime ice cream sandwich. well, key lime pie has been one of my absolute favorites for as long as i can remember and when i read the ciao bella news i thought "i must make this. now!" this treat might win fastest turn around time from my brain to my belly. and the best part about them is that they exceeded my highest expectations.

the ice cream is creamy, tart and smooth just as key lime pie filling should be, and it really does taste like pie. and the graham crackers are, well, like graham cracker crust! i made my own graham crackers* which i would highly recommend because you can bake them slightly less so that they are a little soft rather than crispy crispy crackers.


key lime pie ice cream sammiches
ice cream ingredients:
1 14 ounce can coconut milk (not lite)
3/4 (scant) cup sugar
1/2 cup soy milk (plus a little)
1/2 cup key lime juice (i used nellie and joe's double strength**)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

measure your coconut milk and top off with enough soy milk to get an even two cups. pour into a bowl and add the sugar. whisk until the sugar is dissolved. stir in the remaining 1/2 cup soy milk, key lime juice and vanilla extract. taste and add more lime juice if needed.

pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the maker's instructions (mine took about 30 minutes). pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment and smooth out so that it's about an inch thick. freeze until firm.

to assemble:
i used a biscuit cutter to make nice uniform graham cracker circles. as i mentioned above, i cooked them so that they were still a little soft. once the ice cream is firm use a slightly smaller cookie cutter to cut through the ice cream. place onto a graham cracker, top with another and press together slightly. wrap individual sammiches in wax paper and freeze until you're ready to eat them.

*need a graham cracker recipe? there's a great one in vegan cookies invade your cookie jar that is both tasty and fast (no chilling time). this is the one i used with one little change - i used agave syrup instead of molasses for a lighter flavor. there's also a yummy one over at smitten kitchen that i've made with delicious results.

**my bottle claimed to be double strength. don't know if it really is but if yours appears to be normal strength you might need to use a bit more. if you can't find key lime juice regular lime juice should work just fine.

-d

coffee amaretto ice cream sammiches

this weekend i converted my favorite boozey coffee drink into ice cream sandwich form. coffee with amaretto makes me feel warm and cozy and reminds me of hanging out post-dinner in the north end in boston. for this creation, i sandwiched coffee ice cream between two delicate amaretto florentines. i was a little concerned that the cookies wouldn't hold up but i think they did ok. yes, these are messy but aren't ice cream sandwiches supposed to be messy? i know it's still winter and those on the east coast might opt for the traditional warm beverage for another month or two but luckily the san francisco weather provides a little bit of leniency and lets me fulfill my ice cream sandwich making craving in february without feeling too silly about it.

first make the cookies.
amaretto florentines
(vegan version adapted from the cookie jar)
ingredients:
3 tablespoons margarine
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons soy creamer
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons amaretto

preheat oven to 350.
in a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar and creamer over medium-high heat. stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
add almonds, flour and amaretto and stir until blended.

drop tablespoons full of dough several inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. spread dough into a cookie shape, careful not to spread them too thin as they will spread a bit more during baking.

bake 5-7 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. leaving cookies on parchment paper, remove paper from baking sheet. let cool 3 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

once cookies are cool, move them to a plate (arrange single layers separated by wax paper) and place in the freezer while you make the ice cream (or about 30 minutes).
coffee ice cream
ingredients:
1 cup soy milk, well chilled
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons instant coffee or espresso powder
2 cups soy creamer, well chilled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

in a medium bowl, use a hand mixer or whisk by hand to combine the soy milk, sugar and coffee/espresso powder until the sugar and coffee are dissolved. stir in creamer and vanilla. pour into ice cream maker and let mix until thickened, about 30 minutes (or according to your ice cream maker instructions).

to assemble sandwiches:
remove cookies from the freezer. matching up pairs of cookies that are about the same size, scoop ice cream directly from ice cream maker (so it's still soft) onto one cookie and top with second cookie. carefully wrap individual sammiches in wax paper and store in the freezer. try to work quickly so the ice cream doesn't melt.

i got six sammiches and a bonus cookie out of this recipe.

-d