Ice cream sandwiches
Makes 12
| 2 1/4 | cups flour |
| 2/3 | cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted |
| 1/2 | teaspoon baking soda |
| 1/2 | teaspoon salt |
| 12 | tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature |
| 1/4 | cup solid vegetable shortening |
| 1 1/3 | cups sugar |
| 1 | egg |
| 1 | tablespoon vanilla extract |
| 1 | quart ice cream or gelato of any flavor, softened in the refrigerator for 30 minutes |
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Have on hand a 4-inch plain round cutter.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In an electric mixer, combine the butter and shortening. Beat at medium speed for 1 minute or until creamy. Add the sugar and continue beating for 2 minutes or until light and smooth.
4. Beat in the egg, then the vanilla. Remove the bowl from the stand. With a rubber spatula, stir in the flour mixture just until moistened.
5. Sprinkle a few drops of water on your work surface. Lay a large sheet of wax paper on it (the water will help the paper stay in place). Divide the dough in half. Place half on the wax paper, cover with a second sheet of wax paper, and roll into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Slide a large baking sheet under the bottom piece of waxed paper. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
6. Repeat with two more sheets of waxed paper and the other half of the dough; chill.
7. Slip the chilled sheets of dough off the baking sheets and onto your work surface. Line both baking sheets with parchment paper. Return them to the refrigerator.
8. Cut the dough into 24 rounds. Remove the excess dough. Use a metal spatula to transfer the rounds to the baking sheets. Use a fork to prick each cookie several times, creating a decorative pattern across the top, if you like.
9. Return one of the sheets to the refrigerator. Bake the other sheet for 13 to 15 minutes or until the cookies are dry to the touch. Cool on the sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Bake the other sheet in the same way. Cool cookies completely.
10. Spread 12 cookies with about 1/3 cup of ice cream, using an offset spatula or a small rubber spatula. Top each with a second cookie. Place them on a large baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Adapted from ''The UltimateFrozen Dessert Book"
