Classic Snacks Made from Scratch (13 page)

Turn the dough out onto the parchment paper, press it into a rough square, and place the waxed paper on top. Roll into a 13 by 11-inch rectangle 1/8 inch thick. Make the edges as even as possible so you won’t have to trim and waste any baked dough.

Remove the waxed paper and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the dough seems puffy and slightly underbaked but a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then carefully slide the entire cookie and parchment paper onto a large metal rack and let cool to room temperature.

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER:

Using an ice cream maker, freeze the vanilla ice cream base according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Using a pastry or pizza cutter, trim the cookie as needed to make a 12 by 10-inch rectangle, then slice it into 4 (10 by 3-inch) strips. Flip the strips over onto a large sheet of waxed paper so that the flat underside is now facing up. Using an offset spatula and your fingers, spread 2 of the strips with a 1/2-inch-thick layer of vanilla ice cream.

Top with the remaining cookie strips, pressing very gently to adhere, and freeze for 2 hours to make sure the ice cream firms up completely.

Cut each strip into 5 ice cream sandwiches, each 2 inches wide. For an extra touch of authenticity, wrap each one in parchment or butcher paper.

Store the sandwiches in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

The history of Neapolitan ice cream is a colorful one, as you might expect. Though the ice cream method came from Naples, pressed blocks of frozen desserts in multiple flavors became all the rage in France in the 19th century. One of Naples’s most famous ice cream makers, Giuseppe Tortoni, ran a café in Paris, frequented by Manet and Balzac. “Neapolitan” became the overarching term for the striped ice cream desserts. Modern ice cream methods use commercial molds to make the layers, but we’re doing it the old-timey way. If there ever was a case for getting yourself a second (or third!) ice cream freezer bowl, you’re looking at it.

YIELD:
10 ice cream sandwiches

TOTAL TIME:
2 hours, plus chilling time

DIFFICULTY:
5

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
stand mixer, ice cream maker, additional freezer bowls (optional— see Ice Cream 101,
page 187
), pastry or pizza cutter, offset spatula

ICE CREAM BASES

3 cups light cream or whipping cream

1/2 cup (3-1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon powdered freeze-dried strawberries (see
page 109
)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

SANDWICH COOKIES

1-1/2 cups (6-3/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (1-1/2 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 pinch kosher salt

8 tablespoons (4 ounces) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar

1 large egg

MAKE THE ICE CREAM BASES:

Bring the cream to a bare simmer in a 1-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, just until it is steaming and small bubbles form around the edges. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar until fully dissolved.

Divide equally into 3 bowls, with about 1 cup in each (there will actually be a little more than 3 cups total). Whisk the powdered strawberries into one bowl,
the cocoa powder into another, and the vanilla into the third.

Cover each bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until fully chilled (or use the quick-cool method,
page 188
).

MAKE THE SANDWICH COOKIES:

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Cut a sheet of parchment paper and a sheet of waxed paper large enough to fit your baking sheet.

Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl until well blended and uniform in color.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg, and stir on low speed for 30 seconds to combine thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients until just incorporated to make a sticky dough, scraping down the bowl halfway through to make sure everything is homogenous.

Turn the dough out onto the parchment paper, press it into a rough square, and place the waxed paper on top. Roll into a 13 by 11-inch rectangle 1/8 inch thick. Try to make the edges as even as possible to avoid having to trim and waste dough after baking.

Remove the waxed paper and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the dough seems puffy and slightly underbaked but a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then carefully slide the entire cookie and parchment paper onto a large wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER:

Using an ice cream maker, freeze each ice cream base according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches soft-serve consistency (about 10 minutes per flavor). If you only have one ice cream bowl, transfer each finished flavor to a clean bowl, cover, and store in the freezer until all the flavors are finished. You can clean and re-freeze your bowl before starting a new flavor or simply use a silicone spatula or spoonula to scrape out the ice cream (no metal tools—they’ll irreparably damage the bowl). A few bits will remain, but most will peel off so a new base can be poured in.

Trim the cookie as needed to a 12 by 10-inch rectangle, then use a pastry or pizza cutter to slice it into 4 (10 by 3-inch) strips. Flip the strips over onto a large sheet of waxed paper so that the flat undersides are facing up. Using an offset spatula and your fingers, spread 2 rectangles with even stripes of the 3
ice cream flavors, running the long (10-inch) direction. Top with the remaining cookie rectangles, flat sides down, pressing very gently to adhere. Cover and freeze for 2 hours to make sure the ice cream is completely firm.

Slice each strip into 5 ice cream sandwiches, each 2 inches wide. For an extra touch of authenticity, wrap each in parchment or butcher paper.

Store the sandwiches in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

I admit that the charms of toasted almond, the most obscure of the holy trinity of Good Humor bars, were completely lost on me as a kid. If you’re an almond bar aficionado, thank your fellow fans for bringing them into this book—honestly, I’d never eaten a bite of one before I started my research.

Color me converted, though; toasted almond truly is the most debonair of the bars. Its subtle flavor, reminiscent of frangipane tarts and marzipan, seems much more Continental than that of its brethren. The almond ice cream on its own is a revelation; if you don’t want to go through the whole bar recipe, just make a batch of the ice cream and serve with homemade caramel sauce.

YIELD:
6 bars

TOTAL TIME:
2 hours, plus chilling time

DIFFICULTY:
4

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
ice cream maker, additional ice cream freezer bowl (optional—see Ice Cream 101 on
page 187
), mini food processor, Popsicle molds, fine-mesh strainer

ALMOND ICE CREAM

2 large eggs

1/2 cup (3-1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1-1/2 cups whole or reduced-fat milk

1 cup light cream or whipping cream

1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract

VANILLA ICE CREAM

1-1/2 cups light cream or whipping cream

1/4 cup (1-3/4 ounces) granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

CAKE CRUMBS

2 tablespoons roasted, unsalted almonds

1/4 cup (1-1/18 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (3/4 ounce) powdered milk

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter

MAKE THE ALMOND ICE CREAM BASE:

Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl for 2 minutes, until
thickened, light in color, and no longer gritty. Whisk in the flour and salt.

Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl.

Bring the milk to a bare simmer in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, then slowly pour it into the egg and sugar mixture in a thin, steady stream while whisking vigorously. (I find it easiest to pour the warm milk back into the measuring cup before drizzling it into the bowl, to avoid having half the liquid run down the side of the saucepan.)

Return the custard base to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 10 to 15 minutes without allowing the liquid to come to a boil. You’ll notice a slow but steady change in the thickness and texture of the liquid, from a loose and sloshy translucence to an opaque custard that feels like melted ice cream. You’ll also notice your spatula or spoon start to “skid” across the bottom of the pan as you reach the custard stage, notifying you that the eggs are emulsifying and the bottom of the pan is developing a thin layer of cooked custard. Don’t panic—when you feel this, you’ll know you’re about a minute away from doneness.

Pour the hot custard through the fine-mesh strainer, allow it to cool in the bowl for 10 minutes, and then stir in the cream and almond extract. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until fully chilled (or use the quick-cool method,
page 188
).

MAKE THE VANILLA ICE CREAM BASE:

Bring the cream to a bare simmer in a 1-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, just until it is steaming and small bubbles form around the edges. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar and vanilla until the sugar is fully dissolved. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until fully chilled (or use the quick-cool method,
page 188
).

FREEZE THE ICE CREAM:

When the ice cream bases are fully chilled, first freeze the almond base in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When the ice cream maker has completed its cycle and the ice cream has soft-serve consistency, transfer it to a zip-top bag and make an instant pastry bag by twisting closed (without sealing) and cutting a small triangle off one corner.

Squeeze the almond ice cream into 6 standard (3 to 4-ounce) Popsicle molds, then freeze for at least 2 hours. When the almond pops are frozen, freeze the vanilla ice cream base.

MAKE THE CAKE CRUMBS:

While the almond ice cream freezes, pulse the almonds in a mini food processor just until ground. Don’t overprocess or you’ll end up with almond butter.

Whisk the ground almonds in a medium bowl with the flour, powdered milk, powdered sugar, and cornstarch.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, then stir gently into the almond mixture to form coarse cake clumps.

ASSEMBLE THE BARS:

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper.

Remove the almond bars from the molds and, using an offset spatula or stiff rubber spatula, “frost” each one with a thin layer of vanilla ice cream to completely cover the almond filling. Sprinkle cake crumbs evenly over both sides, pressing gently to adhere.

Place the finished bars on the prepared baking sheet and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 1 hour before serving.

Store the bars in the freezer in an airtight container for up to a month.

I’m a cookbook junkie. I read ’em like novels and, though I don’t get to try as many recipes as I’d like, I file everything away for future inspiration. And thanks to Momofuku Milk Bar’s recent cookbook, I realized how I could make Good Humor Bar cake crumbs. Credit where credit’s due: the coating is a hybrid of genius chef Christina Tosi’s “milk crumb” (the flavored bits she adds to pie crusts and cookies) and streusel topping. It comes together quickly and can be made in almost any flavor.