Bon Appetit Desserts (134 page)

2½-pint containers blueberries

1 8-ounce container blueberry yogurt

¼ cup water

¼ cup honey

2 tablespoons sugar

Combine all ingredients in processor and puree until smooth. Divide mixture among 8 ice pop molds (each ¼- to ⅓-cup capacity). Insert ice pop covers and sticks. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 5 days.

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie Ice-Cream Sandwiches

Tender oatmeal cookies form a sweet sandwich with purchased vanilla ice cream. The cookies are so good that you might want to make a double batch and fill up the cookie jar.
Makes 12

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

⅔ cup sugar

⅔ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

2 large eggs

1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups old-fashioned oats

⅔ cup raisins

1 quart vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Add to butter mixture and beat just until combined. Stir in oats and raisins.

Using generous 3 tablespoons dough per cookie, place 6 dough mounds on each baking sheet, spacing mounds 3 inches apart. Bake cookies until light golden, about 15 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks; cool completely. Cool baking sheets and repeat with remaining dough, making 24 cookies total. Freeze cookies 30 minutes.

Place 1 cookie, flat side up, on work surface. Spoon ⅓ cup ice cream onto cookie. Top with another cookie, flat side down; press gently. Wrap sandwich in plastic wrap; freeze until firm. Repeat with remaining cookies and ice cream.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 4 days ahead. Keep frozen.

Let sandwiches stand at room temperature 5 minutes before serving.

Mini S’mores Ice-Cream Sandwiches

When marshmallow s’mores meet ice-cream sandwiches, the results are delectable. Purchased rocky road ice cream and marshmallow crème are sandwiched between graham crackers and frozen until quite firm. Then the sandwiches get a coating of melted bittersweet chocolate before going back into the freezer.
Makes 8

1 pint rocky road ice cream

½ cup (about) marshmallow creme

8 whole graham cracker rectangles, broken in half into squares

12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Line small rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Soften ice cream just until spreadable but still firm. Spread 1 tablespoon (about) marshmallow crème over each of 8 graham cracker squares. Working quickly, spread ice cream atop remaining 8 graham cracker squares. Place marshmallow-coated crackers atop ice cream, marshmallow side down, forming sandwiches; press gently to adhere and smooth sides. Set sandwiches on prepared baking sheet and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 3 days ahead. Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and keep frozen.

Stir chocolate in small metal bowl set over small saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth and just warm (not hot) to touch. Remove bowl from over water. Working quickly, dip 1 sandwich halfway into melted chocolate. Return sandwich to same parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining sandwiches. Immediately return to freezer and freeze until chocolate is completely set, about 30 minutes. Rewarm remaining chocolate in bowl over saucepan of simmering water, if chocolate has set. Remove sandwiches from freezer and dip second side of sandwiches in melted chocolate to coat. Return to same baking sheet and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with plastic; keep frozen.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Ice-Cream Sandwiches

These ice-cream sandwiches are dipped halfway into melted milk chocolate. Use cookies that are about 2½ inches in diameter. If you’d like to use homemade cookies, the Classic Peanut Butter Cookies (page 538) would be the perfect choice.
Makes 6

12 peanut butter cookies (purchased or homemade)

1 pint chocolate-peanut butter swirl ice cream or chocolate ice cream, slightly softened

6 tablespoons creamy (smooth) natural peanut butter (made only with peanuts and salt)

6 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), finely chopped

Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with waxed paper. Place 6 cookies, flat side up, on work surface. Spoon enough ice cream atop each cookie to form ½- to ¾-inch-thick layer. Spoon 1 tablespoon peanut butter atop ice cream on each cookie. Top with another cookie, flat side down, and press gently to adhere. Transfer sandwiches to 1 prepared baking sheet. Cover and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

Stir chocolate in small bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Dip 1 sandwich halfway into melted chocolate, allowing excess chocolate to drip back into bowl. Place sandwich on second prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining sandwiches. Immediately place in freezer; freeze until chocolate is firm, about 10 minutes.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and keep frozen.

Dark Chocolate-Dipped Cherry Ice-Cream Cones

It’s fun (and easy) to make dipped ice-cream cones at home. This version features a winning combination of purchased cherry ice cream and a dark chocolate coating. But feel free to mix it up: Banana, strawberry, or peanut-butter-cup ice cream would also be a great choice.
Makes 8

3 pints premium cherry ice cream

8 sugar cones

1 11.5-ounce package bittersweet chocolate chips

¼ cup vegetable oil

2 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

1½ cups coarsely chopped toasted almonds

Spoon enough ice cream into 1 cone to fill, packing gently. Dip large (¼ cup) round ice-cream scoop into bowl of hot water. Scoop large mounded ball of ice cream onto filled cone, pressing gently. Stand cone in small glass; place in freezer. Repeat with remaining cones and ice cream, placing each cone in separate glass. Freeze 2 to 8 hours.

Place bittersweet chocolate and oil in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium-high setting until chocolate is melted, stopping occasionally to stir, about 1½ minutes. Let stand just until cool, about 10 minutes. Place white chocolate in another small microwave-safe bowl; microwave on medium-high setting until chocolate is melted, stopping occasionally to stir, about 1 minute.

Place nuts on plate. Working quickly and tilting bowl of bittersweet chocolate to form deep pool, dip ice-cream end of cone into chocolate, turning to coat. Gently shake cone, allowing excess chocolate to drip back into bowl. Immediately roll bottom half of chocolate-dipped scoop in nuts. Dip fork into white chocolate; drizzle lines over top of cone. Place cone in glass; return to freezer. Repeat with remaining cones. Freeze 1 hour.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap cones in foil; keep frozen.

Banana Split Split