Independence Day is almost here so I decided to make a Fourth of July Ice Cream Sandwich with Berry and Basil Ice Cream. The fresh strawberries, blueberries and basil are refreshing in this recipe for ice cream. The sugar cookie stars add a festive touch to the traditional ice cream sandwich. It’s the perfect dessert for summertime and for the Fourth of July.
Fourth of July Ice Cream Sandwich with Berry and Basil Ice Cream
The Sugar Cookies
1 stick of butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
The Blueberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/8 cup sugar
1 tbs lemon juice
The Strawberries
1 cup fresh strawberries
1/8 cup sugar
1 tbs lemon juice
The Ice Cream
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup coconut rum
Baking the Sugar Cookies
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine all wet ingredients. In a separate mixing bowl, sift remaining dry ingredients together. Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. Scoop generous tablespoonfuls of the batter onto parchment lined baking sheets, spreading each cookie out to a 1 1/2 inch diameter circle leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each cookie. Bake for 8 minutes. When you remove the cookies from the oven, they will look very puffy, not to worry though. As they cool, they will fall back down and will be a perfectly soft and chewy consistency. Transfer cookies from baking sheet onto a wire cooling rack allowing cookies to cool completely. You should have about 32 cookies and they should be around 2 1/2 inches in diameter after they are baked.
Cooking the Berries
Combine all ingredients for blueberries in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until blueberries have broken apart, much of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture begins to thicken. Set aside and allow to cool completely. Then place in the refrigerator to chill.
Repeat the same steps above for the strawberries.
Making the Ice Cream
In a small saucepan, heat 2 1/2 cups of heavy cream with the fresh basil. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and steep the basil in the cream until the cream has cooled completely. Pour cream through a strainer to remove all of the fresh basil.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together remaining ice cream ingredients (including remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream) and basil cream until thoroughly combined and sugar has dissolved. Pour ice cream mixture into your ice cream maker and run the machine for about 25-30 minutes or until the ice cream is formed. Place ice cream in the freezer to finish freezing.
Once ice cream is firm, remove from freezer and fold in blueberry and strawberry mixtures. Place back in freezer to become firm again.
Making the Ice Cream Sandwiches
Once the cookies have cooled completely, use a cookie cutter to cut a star shape out of each cookie (or use any festive 4th of July cookie cutter you prefer). The size and consistency of the cookies is perfect for using a cookie cutter, but if you don’t have a cookie cutter, they will look and taste just as good as delicious as is.
Once all of the cookies are ready and the ice cream is firm, place one heaping scoop of ice cream onto a cookie and top with a second cookie and press slightly. Repeat this process for as many sandwiches as you would like to make or plan on eating. I recommend only making as many sandwiches as you plan on eating or serving at one time because the cookies will stay soft. You can certainly freeze the sandwich after it is made and it will still taste amazing, but the cookie will be much more firm and chewy straight from the freezer.
