Ice Cream Sandwiches

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly butter 2 baking sheets.

In a heavy saucepan over low heat, cook the brown sugar, butter, and chopped chocolate, stirring frequently, until the chocolate melts. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to lukewarm.

Add the egg and vanilla to the chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture and stir until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Drop the dough by generous tablespoonfuls onto the prepared sheets, spacing the cookies at least 3 inches (7.5 cm) apart. You should have 12 cookies. With dampened fingers, smooth the cookies into slightly flattened rounds about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter. Bake the cookies until the edges darken and the centers are still slightly soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Lay half of the cookies, flat side up, on a work surface. Spread about 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./ 125 ml) of the ice cream on each cookie. Top each with one of the remaining cookies, flat side down. Smooth the sides and wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap. Lay on a clean, dry baking sheet and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days, before serving. Serves 6.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Dessert of the Day, by Kim Laidlaw (Weldon Owen, 2013).