[The Most] Incredible Ice Cream Sandwiches

This is by far one of my favorite desserts. I recently made these for a friends birthday. Overall, the process is simple, but be prepared to wait a while between steps because you want to keep everything as cold as possible. I would recommend making them the day before you want to serve them.

[recipe via Food & Wine]

Ingredients:

1 ½ pkg. prescored break & bake chocolate chip cookie dough, at room temperature
2 pints vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
¼ c. hot fudge sauce, warmed
¼ c. roasted salted almonds, coarsely chopped
¼ c. Heath bars, coarsely chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Set the cookie dough in a jelly roll pan (about 10″ x 15 inches or so).  Place a sheet of plastic wrap on top and evenly press or roll to fill the baking pan.  Remove plastic wrap and bake the cookie for 14 minutes, until lightly browned.  Let the cookie cool completely in the baking pan but while it is still slightly warm gently lift the edges a little bit to make sure the cookie doesn’t totally stick to the pan.

Invert the completely cooled cookie onto a work surface and then slide it back into the baking pan, bottom side up.  Trim the edges if necessary.  Scoop the ice cream over the cookie in large dollops.  Working quickly so the ice cream doesn’t melt, place a sheet of plastic wrap on top and press or roll the ice cream into an even layer.  Freeze for 1 hour until ice cream is just firm.

Remove the plastic wrap.  Drizzle the warm fudge syrup all over the ice cream.  Cover again with plastic wrap and freeze for 1 hour until firm.

Invert the baking pan onto a cutting board and tap lightly to release the cookie bar.  Flip the cookie over so it is ice cream side up.  Using a sharp, heavy knife, cut the cookie bar in half forming two equal-sized rectangles.  Sandwich the two halves together and press to seal.  Wrap in plastic or foil and freeze for at least an hour, or until firm.

In a bowl, combine the  chopped almond and toffee pieces.  Using that sharp, heavy knife again, cut the rectangles into bars (should make about 16).  Press the exposed ice cream sides into the toffee mixture, wrap individual bars in foil and re-freeze.

Will keep in an air tight container in the freezer for up to two weeks.