Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches with Raspberry Swirl
adapted from Gourmet Magazine, August 2009

Ingredients:

For Lemon Ice Cream

2 pints good quality vanilla ice cream (store bought or homemade)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Limoncello

For raspberry compote

2 cups raspberries (10 ounces)
1/4 cup sugar
2 (3- by 21/2-inch) strips lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch

For sandwich layers

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Equipment:

2 (8-inch) square baking pans (2 inches deep)
Small offset spatula

Directions:

Make lemon ice cream:

Transfer ice cream to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 30 percent power in 10-second intervals, stirring, until softened, about 50 seconds total (see Note, below).

Stir in lemon zest, juice and Limoncello. Spread ice cream thinly in a 13- by 9-inch baking dish and freeze while making compote and sandwich layers.

Make raspberry compote:

Cook blueberries, sugar, and zest in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat, thoroughly crushing raspberries with a potato masher, until juices are released and sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes.

Stir together lemon juice and cornstarch, then stir into raspberry mixture. Boil, stirring, 1 minute until mixture thickens.

Transfer compote to a bowl and chill until cold, about 1 hour. Discard lemon zest.

Make sandwich layers:

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Butter baking pans and line with foil, leaving a 1-inch overhang on each side, then butter foil.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger and salt in a small bowl. Beat together butter and brown sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Beat in egg and vanilla. At low speed, add flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing until just combined.

Divide batter between baking pans and spread into thin, even layers with offset spatula. Bake until golden-brown but still tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely in pans, about 30 minutes.

Assemble sandwiches:

Dollop tablespoons of blueberry compote all over ice cream, then swirl it gently through ice cream with a spoon. Spoon all of ice cream over 1 sandwich layer (in pan) and spread evenly using clean offset spatula.

Invert second sandwich layer over ice cream, pressing gently to form an even sandwich. Wrap baking pan in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.

Transfer sandwich to a cutting board using overhang. Trim edges if desired, then cut into 8 pieces.

Notes:

If you don’t have a microwave, ice cream can be softened at room temperature.

Ice cream sandwiches (before cutting) can be made 1 week ahead and frozen in pan, wrapped in plastic wrap and then in foil.

Makes 8 ice cream sandwiches.

**********************

Philadelphia-Style Vanilla Ice Cream
adapted from The Perfect Scoop ^[5] by David Lebovitz ^[6]

2 cups heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pour 1 cup of the cream into a medium saucepan and add the sugar and salt. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the saucepan and add the pod to the pot. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.

Remove from the heat and add the remaining cream, milk and the vanilla extract.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean and freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes about 1 quart of ice cream.