Lemony Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies

Hello Summer!  It is finally reaching Seattle (keep your fingers crossed).  And what better way to celebrate than ice cream!  So I bought this adorable ice cream maker (remember, I am very attached to my kitchen gadgets).

Speaking of gadgets, I also got to break out my citrus juicer attachment for my Kitchenaide.

I encountered a dilemma after I brought my new baby home, which I got for 5 dollars (yay!) from my lovely friend Mary who is moving far away (boo!).  My blog is about baking (it is right there in the title).  And last time I check, ice cream doesn't require the oven.  Thankfully I am very smart and came up with a solution, ice cream cookie sandwiches.

Cookies are definitely baked.

Let's be honest though, the cookies are primarily a delivery method for ice cream.  This was my very first batch of ice cream so heaven forbid I make something simple.  So I decided to make lemon curd ice cream.

With real lemons, of course.  Hence the citrus juicer.

This involved making an entire dessert (lemon curd, which is totally delicious in it's own right).

Then adding a bunch of cream.

Then making it into ice cream.  A word of advice re: ice cream makers.  The freezer bowl portion is very heavy.  If your freezer is very full and packed at an angle and you put a very heavy freezer bowl in it, even if the door is closed when you leave the house in the morning, the bowl could push the door open (thanks gravity!) so that when you get home not only is the bowl not frozen, but neither is anything else in your freezer.  Not that this happened to me or anything, it just could theoretically be an issue.

So really you get 3 desserts in one here, lemon curd, ice cream, and cookies.

Lemony Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

LEMON CURD ICE CREAM
1 1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons grated lemon peel
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cup milk
1. Bring 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, butter and peel to boil in heavy large saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar.
2. Whisk eggs in bowl to blend.
3. Gradually whisk in hot butter mixture. Return to saucepan and stir over low heat until curd thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 2 minutes; do not boil.
4. Add remaining sugar, milk and cream to lemon curd. Chill until cold.
5. Transfer to ice cream maker and follow instructions for that machine. Freeze ice cream in an air-tight container.
LEMON CORNMEAL COOKIES
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, softened
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1. Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add vanilla and lemon zest.
2. Add flour, cornmeal, cornstarch and salt. Beat on a slow speed until combined.
3. Shape into rounds 1/3 inch thick and 2 inches wide either free-form or be rolling dough out and using a cookie cutter (or drinking glass). Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet.
4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12 to 14 minutes.
5. Cut aluminum foil into squares about 4x4 inches. Place 1-2 tbsp of ice cream on one cookie. Sandwich with a second cookie. Wrap with aluminum foil.
6. Freeze cookies.

Recipe from Epicurious: Cookies and Ice Cream

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