Ice cream sandwich

Name: Ice cream sandwich
Prep time: 120 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 140 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: Type 00 flour 2.4 cups; Powdered sugar 0.9 cup; Butter ½ cup; Unsweetened cocoa powder 1 ¼ tbsp; Eggs 1; Egg yolks 1; Wildflower honey 2 tbsp; Whole milk 2 ½ cups; Fresh liquid cream 1 cup; Sugar 1 ¼ cup; Vanilla bean 1

it fr es br de

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 20 min
Makes: 12 pieces
Cost: Low
Note More cooling time in the freezer

PRESENTATION

Gelato biscotto is such a classic summer treat you find all over Italy. Especially when it heats up, and everyone just craves something cool and sweet. Really good stuff. This ice cream sandwich stands out with its soft cocoa biscuits—keeping everything neat but still super tender when you bite. And the filling? It’s not just any ice cream. Nope, it’s rich, homemade vanilla gelato that tastes extra creamy and moist. Way, way different from the store-bought versions, you know? In Sicily and even up north, folks might swap in pistachio or hazelnut flavors, but the vanilla keeps things simple. And really, it shows off how good the basic ingredients can be.

Making both the biscuits and the gelato from scratch takes a bit of time, but that’s the charm of this traditional Italian dessert—slowing down and savoring each step. Pretty simple. When you bite into a gelato sandwich like this, you get a mix of soft, cool, and just the right amount of sweet in every mouthful. It’s nothing like those hard, crumbly cookie versions. Nope. Italian families often make these ahead for parties or just as a special weekend snack since the homemade ice cream sandwich keeps so well in the freezer—always feels special. Kids love them, and, frankly, adults don’t say no either. Some people in Italy even roll the edges in chopped nuts or mini chocolate chips for a crunch, but to be honest, the simple combination of gelato cookie sandwich and those cocoa biscuits is really hard to beat.

It’s a dessert that feels both nostalgic and perfect for a hot day. Whether you’re sharing with friends or sneaking one from the freezer for yourself. The best part? That first cold, melty bite where the cocoa and vanilla mix—seriously, it’s the kind of frozen dessert that makes summer afternoons so much fun. Whether you're on a sun-drenched terrace in Rome or just enjoying a lazy afternoon at home, this gelato biscotto is sure to bring a smile to your face and a refreshing chill to your day. And look, can't go wrong with that.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for 12 ice cream sandwiches: Type 00 flour 2.4 cups (300 g); Powdered sugar 0.9 cup (120 g); Butter ½ cup (120 g); Unsweetened cocoa powder 1 ¼ tbsp (6 g); Eggs 1; Egg yolks 1; Wildflower honey 2 tbsp (30 g)

for the cream ice cream: Whole milk 2 ½ cups (600 ml); Fresh liquid cream 1 cup (250 g); Sugar 1 ¼ cup (250 g); Vanilla bean 1

Preparation

How to prepare Ice cream sandwich

To prepare the ice cream sandwich, start by preparing the dough for the cookies: crumble the cold butter with the flour in a mixer 1, transfer the resulting powder into a large bowl and sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa (2-3). Mix the dry ingredients well together.

Beat the egg with the yolk and add the honey 4, mix, and incorporate the mixture into the dry ingredients 5. Knead with your hands until you get a solid and compact dough, similar to shortcrust pastry 6.

Let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, covered with plastic wrap 7. After this time, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch and cut out 34 circles with a diameter of 3 inches 8. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350°F for about 18-20 minutes 9.

Prepare the cream ice cream: pour the milk into a saucepan, add the sugar, cream, and opened vanilla bean 10, then mix and heat the mixture to no more than 185°F. Once the temperature is reached, immediately place the saucepan in a container with ice water to quickly lower the temperature of the mixture 11 and once cold, pour it into an ice cream maker and churn for at least 30 minutes until the mixture is thick and creamy 12. To see the cream ice cream recipe Vanilla Ice Cream. Before using it, let it firm up further in the freezer for at least 2 hours.

Now that everything is ready, assemble your ice cream sandwiches: take a round cookie and wrap a sheet of acetate or alternatively make a double turn of parchment paper around it 14. Fill the mold created with two tablespoons of ice cream (about 2.8 oz) and let it firm up in the freezer for half an hour 15. Once it is well set, place another cookie on top and remove the wrap around 15. The ice cream sandwich is ready: serve them immediately or store them in the freezer on a sheet of parchment paper.