MOCHA-MACADAMIA NUT-CHOCOLATE COOKIE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 2.25 2.25cups CUP_USVolumeall-purpose flour
- 1/4 .25 .25cup CUP_USVolumeunsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 1.25 1.25teaspoons TEASPOON_USVolumeinstant espresso powder
- 1 1 1teaspoon TEASPOON_USVolumebaking soda
- 1/2 .5 .5teaspoon TEASPOON_USVolumesalt
- 8 8 8ounces OUNCE_USVolume(2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
- 3/4 .75 .75cup CUP_USVolumedark brown sugar, firmly packed
- 3/4 .75 .75cup CUP_USVolumegranulated sugar
- 2 2 2eggs
- 2 2 2teaspoons TEASPOON_USVolumevanilla extract
- 8 8 8ounces OUNCE_USVolumebittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped into pieces about the size of large chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 1.5 1.5cups CUP_USVolumecoarsely chopped unsalted macadamia nuts
- 1 1 1quart QUART_USVolumecoffee ice cream
Instructions
- In the large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle or beaters, on medium speed, soften the butter. Add the brown and granulated sugars and continue beating until the sugar is incorporated; then, raise the speed to high and continue to beat until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl and under the beaters with a rubber spatula as necessary. Lower the speed to medium and add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the vanilla, again scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn the speed to low, gradually pour in the flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Add the chocolate and nuts and again beat until just combined.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa, espresso, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Scrape the dough out of the bowl and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or up to overnight.
- Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 1 or 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it into mounds the size of an unshelled walnut, about 1-ounce each, rolling each between the palms of your hands; you should have 60 to 62 balls of dough. Arrange the balls on the prepared trays, about 2 inches apart. Bake until slightly firm to the touch, 13 to 15 minutes, reversing the trays from front to back after 7 minutes to ensure even baking. Place the trays on racks to cool. After a few minutes, transfer the cookies to the racks with a wide metal spatula and leave them to continue to cool. If reusing the baking tray, cool slightly before arranging more balls of dough on it.
- Take the ice cream out of the freezer and let it soften slightly for 10 minutes. When the cookies have cooled, spread the flat undersides of half of the cookies with some ice cream. Top with another cookie and press lightly to secure each sandwich. Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and freeze until firm.
ABOUT THIS RECIPE
These perfectly irresistible Hawaiian-inspired ice cream sandwiches are based on a cookie recipe that appears in the book Spago Chocolate by Mary Bergin and Judy Gethers (Random House, 1999).