These Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Ice Cream Sandwiches are rich cocoa and dark chocolate chunk shortbread cookies stuffed with delectable homemade ice cream.
I may not be a superhero, but like Superman, I do have a major weakness - Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Ice Cream Sandwiches! OK, I have a FEW weaknesses, but unlike a superhero, I am perfectly fine being open about them.
Let's start with elephants - ALL elephants, but baby elephants in particular. I am almost ashamed to admit the amount of time I've spent pouring over the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Instagram feed. I can't go a single day without an ele fix. I've said it numerous times and I'll say it again - I was an elephant in a previous life.
Next, fresh tropical fruits. They were at my finger tips as a child, literally. I simply had to go to the backyard and pick them from the trees - ok, an adult would do the picking. I, however, would direct them to the juiciest of the bunch (bossy much?).
My favourite list is long, but here are a few I had way too often - mango, guava, golden apple, gooseberry, tamarind, passion fruit, soursop (guanabana), sugar apple, genip and papaya to name a few. These were my candies of choice.
I have such fond memories of time spent at my grandparents', scantily clad in my superhero underpants, enjoying copious amounts of these fruits in between running wild under the island sun and extended dips in the ocean.
French pastry, choux in particular, is a huge weakness. Stand me in front of a showcase filled with eclairs and watch my knees buckle and my body fill with the spirit. I salivate at the mere thought. I try not to make them often, so they only appear on here a couple times. I thought it was time to remedy that, so I made a couple batches a couple months ago. I'll blog them soon, but here's a sneak peek!
Then, of course, there is Theobroma Cacao - food of the gods! Often referred to as more than a food, less than a drug, chocolate IS my weakness. Which brings us right back to where I intended... these Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Ice Cream Sandwiches!
The cookie recipe is adapted from Pierre Herme's Sable Infiniment Chocolat. When I saw a photo of the cookies on Valrhona's Instagram feed, I immediately knew they would get made. And made they got - not once, or twice, but three times in less than two months.
Filled with rich Rodelle organic baking cocoa and Guanaja 70% chocolate, these cookies are a chocolate lover's dream on their own! Wrapped around rich, silky hazelnut gianduja ice cream made them heavenly. It was tough parting ways, but some went to my office and the rest to friends and neighbours.
The remaining cookies, found themselves clinging to either side of a generous serving of homemade gianduja ice cream, dipped in coffee vermicelli sprinkles, photographed and devoured. This quasi-superhero is not afraid to give into, or share her weaknesses.
As far as desserts go, what's your kryptonite? I promise not to use it against you. 😉
Ingredients
For the cookies (adapted from Pierre Herme):
- 150 grams dark chocolate I used Valrhona Guanaja 70%
- 175 grams all-purpose flour
- 30 grams Rodelle organic cocoa
- 4 grams baking soda
- 150 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
- 120 grams date and pepper red sugar the original recipe calls for light brown sugar
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 3 grams fleur de sel plus a little for topping
- 1 Rodelle vanilla bean scraped
- coffee vermicilli for decorating
Instructions
Make the cookies:
- Chop the chocolate into rough pieces. I broke the feves into halves and thirds by hand. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa and baking soda.
- Place the butter in a bowl and use a spatula to soften. Add the chocolate, sugars, fleur de sel and vanilla and mix well.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until combined, without overworking.
- Divide the dough into two equal parts and roll each piece into a log shape.
- Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours.
- Preheat the oven to 335ºF and prepare two large baking sheets with silicone mats, or parchment.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and peel off the plastic film.
- Slice the logs into 1cm-thick discs. Place the discs on the silicone-lined baking sheets and bake for 11-12 minutes. Remember: it’s important that you don’t overcook them.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with with a little fleur de sel.
Deb|EastofEdenCooking says
oh wow! You've done it again Jacquee! A chocolate lover's fantasy dessert!
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
They are so very good!
Veena Azmanov says
You had me at Chocolate Chunk Shortbread.. and then the thought of Ice Cream sandwich... YUM!!
So looking forward to summer this year.. lots of my list.. adding this one now.. Thanks
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
Yup...all chocolate EVERYTHANG!! 🙂
Fred says
I have to confess that I have a weakness for cookies and ice-cream as well. Nothing like an ice-cream sandwich right after a hot and spicy meal.
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
It's not a bad weakness, in my humble opinion. 😉
Danielle says
WOW! I am pinning these. Just the COOKIE part looks incredible.
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
The cookies are absolutely amazing on their own!
Tara says
Such gorgeous photos! I love the sprinkles around the edges and the fleur de sel on top. The combination of flavors sounds absolutely incredible and decadent.
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
Thanks! The sprinkles add a hit of coffee and additional crunch - the combination is delightful!
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says
Homemade ice cream sandwiches are the best. These cookies sound fantastic. Loving the red pepper sugar...I need to hunt some of that down.
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
Not sure if you saw my insta-story a few weeks ago - I shared a bunch of my favourite ingredients and the pepper red sugar made an appearance. I buy flavoured sugars at the Asian markets, I've also made a few.
Marie-Pierre Breton says
I also believe in a previous animal life... I was a whale I believe. Anyhow this recipe looks so chocoholic, love it! Nothing like a nicely baked with quality chocolate cookie!
traditionallymodernfood says
Anything with chocolate I am in with ice cream in between this is a treat. My son will love this. Looks super yum
Allison Hanson says
These look so amazing. I can't wait to wow people at a summer get together with these!
Sarah James @ Tales From The Kitchen Shed says
Wow, you had me at chocolate, it really is a weakness of mine. Your chocolate chunk shortbread ice cream sandwiches look absolutely delicious, perfect for a chocolate lover like me. Beautiful photography as always 🙂
Lucy says
Oh my goodness yum!
These look amazing. Definitely a bit late to the party but definitely on the to try list!
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
It's never too late for chocolate!! Hope you give them a try.