Hamdi Saidani This Pioneer Woman Blondie Ice Cream Sandwich tucks a thick layer of ice cream between two chocolate chip blondies. It is a grown-up take on the ice cream truck classic, somewhere between a cakey brownie and a brown sugar cookie. Set aside time, since it needs hours in the freezer to set.
The blondie texture comes from a mix of melted butter and shortening. That combination gives you the soft, chewy middle, and a little cornstarch in the flour keeps the bars tender instead of cakey or hard once frozen.
The trick to clean sandwiches is freezing the ice cream into a solid slab first. You spread it in a plastic-lined pan and freeze it hard, then lay the block between the blondies. That way you get even, sliceable layers instead of ice cream squishing out the sides when you cut them.
Pioneer Woman Ice Cream Sandwich
Description
This Pioneer Woman Blondie Ice Cream Sandwich layers ice cream between two chocolate chip blondies. Active time about 30 minutes, plus freezing. Makes 12.
Ingredients
For the Blondies:
For the Filling:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two 13-by-9-inch pans with parchment, letting it hang over the sides, and spray with baking spray. (Or use one 18-by-13-inch half sheet pan.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, shortening, and both sugars until smooth. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
- In another bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the dry mix into the wet, alternating with the milk, just until combined.
- Divide the batter between the pans and smooth the tops. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips over the surface.
- Bake 18 to 20 minutes, turning the pans halfway, until golden and a pick comes out clean. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chips on top. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then cool completely on a rack.
- Line a 13-by-9-inch pan with plastic wrap. Spread the ice cream into an even layer, cover, and freeze until solid, 1 to 2 hours.
- Lay one blondie topside down. Set the frozen ice cream slab on the flat side, then top with the second blondie, topside up. Transfer back into the pan, cover, and freeze until solid, 4 to 6 hours.
- Trim the edges clean, then cut into 12 rectangles. Wrap each in foil or parchment and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
FAQs
What do I serve it with?
These travel well to picnics and barbecues on their own, but a cold Italian lemonade or mango strawberry iced tea on the side makes it a full hot-day treat. A drizzle of hot fudge dresses them up too.
Which ice cream flavor works best?
Vanilla is the classic, but anything that pairs with chocolate chips works, like coffee, Cookies and cream, or Caramel Sauce. Stick to one flavor for the whole slab so the sandwiches stay uniform.
Why is there shortening in the blondie?
Shortening keeps the bars soft and bendable straight from the freezer. All butter would taste richer but freeze rock hard, making the sandwich tough to bite.
Can I roll the edges in toppings?
Yes, and it looks great. Once cut, press the exposed ice cream edges into mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or crushed cookies, then wrap and return to the freezer right away.
Why wrap them individually?
Individual wrapping stops freezer burn and keeps them from sticking together. It also means you can grab one at a time without thawing the whole batch.
