Sour Cream and Caramel Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
what summer dreams are made of
Guys. I had big hopes of getting this recipe to you sooner, but in the words of the Fresh Prince himself, our life got flipped-turned upside down.
We’re moving. Again.
This move, while very big, is one we are very very excited about. A couple months back, Martin got a call about a position he’s been working towards for the last 10 years and about 2 weeks ago, he officially accepted the job! Of course, it’s with another team and we’re right in the middle of the professional soccer season, so we have been scrambling to get everything in order before another cross country move. This time, we’re heading to the Big Apple and I couldn’t be more excited. I will have SO MANY BAKERIES close to me and I. am. pumped.
Now, if we could just fast forward a little through the not fun stuff—packing our house here, finding a house there, finding renter’s for our house here, getting a 6 month old and a dog across the country, etc, etc, etc. It’s a lot and my full-time job right now is “moving coordinator”, but we have a freezer full of these ice cream sandwiches and we’ll make it through.
sour cream and caramel brownie ice cream sandwiches
At risk of offending the rest of my ice cream sandwich recipes, this one is it. So close to those classic, paper-wrapped ice cream sandwiches from the freezer aisle at the grocery store, but just slightly better with fudgy brownies, homemade sour cream ice cream, and buttery caramel.
We’ve got three main components for this recipe:
The ice cream: This homemade ice cream couldn’t be simpler. It’s a very classic vanilla ice cream whipped with tart sour cream for just a little added flair.
The caramel: Homemade caramel is easier than you think and it’s never a bad thing to have hanging out in your fridge. In this recipe, it gets swirled into the ice cream before freezing.
The sandwich: A very classic brownie. I knew I wanted an oil-based brownie to ensure maximum softness after freezing so I used Melissa Clark’s Olive Oil Brownies, because if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
A NOTE: Because I believe everyone should be enjoying ice cream sandwiches and not just those who are into making homemade ice cream, you can easily substitute a quart of your favorite store-bought ice cream. If you live close to a Publix, the Greenwise Salted Caramel Ice Cream is my favorite and what I modeled this recipe after.
Sour Cream and Caramel Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
makes about 14 sandwiches
Ingredients:
for the sour cream ice cream:
460 g (2 cups) heavy cream
150 g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
4 egg yolks
pinch of salt
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
113 g (1/2 cup) full fat sour cream
for the caramel:
100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp water
56 g (1/4 cup) heavy cream
2 tbsp butter
heavy pinch of salt
for the olive oil brownies:
130 g (1 cup) all purpose flour
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
25 g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder
60 ml (1/4 cup) boiling water
165 g (3/4 cup) brown sugar
65 g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
6 tbsp olive oil
3 oz chocolate, melted
Procedure:
Start by making the ice cream base:
Place heavy cream in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until cream is beginning to bubble around the edges of the pan and is hot to the touch.
While the cream is heating, whisk together salt, vanilla bean paste, egg yolks, and sugar in a large bowl. When the cream is hot, slowly stream it into the egg mixture, whisking continually the whole time. Transfer the entire mixture back into the saucepan and return to heat.
Cook, stirring continually with a wooden spoon, over low-medium heat until anglaise sauce is thickened, but do not bring to a boil. You can test if the sauce is ready by wiping your finger through the sauce along the back of the wooden spoon. If the line your finger creates holds, the sauce is ready. If it drips, continue cooking.
When the sauce is sufficiently thickened, strain into a large mixing bowl, cover, and refrigerate.
Whipping and chilling: When the anglaise sauce is cold, transfer to a mixer, add the sour cream, and begin whipping. Whip until soft peaks form and then return to the refrigerator.
Make the caramel:
Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a small sauce pan. Gently jostle the saucepan so that all of the sugar is moistened, but do not stir.
Place saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, without stirring, until the sugar is dissolved and the caramel begins to turn golden in color. Swirl the saucepan gently, and then continue to cook until caramel is a deep amber color.
Remove from heat and gradually stream in heavy cream, whisking continually. When all of the cream has been added, return caramel to heat and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute more.
Remove caramel from heat again and stir in butter and salt. Let cool completely.
Freeze the ice cream:
Line a 9x13” baking dish with plastic wrap. Pour half of the whipped sour cream ice cream base into the pan.
Drizzle with about half of the caramel and use a knife or a skewer to swirl the caramel into the ice cream.
Top with the rest of the whipped ice cream, followed by the rest of the caramel. Swirl that in and then press a piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface of the ice cream.
Freeze overnight or until set, about 12 hours.
Make the brownies:
Preheat the oven to 350° F and line two 1/4 sheet trays with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa powder and boiling water until smooth. Add the egg, egg yolk, and olive oil and whisk until smooth and emulsified. Whisk in the the melted chocolate, followed by the sugar and brown sugar.
Finally, add the dry ingredients and stir using a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, mixing until just combined and no flour streaks remain.
Divide the brownie batter between the two prepared pans and use a small offset spatula to smooth into an even layer.
Bake the brownies for 10-12 minutes, just until set and the edges have begun to crisp. Let cool completely.
Assemble the ice cream sandwiches:
On a large cutting board or clean work surface, place one of the brownie rectangles face down.
Unwrap the rectangle of ice cream and place it on top of the brownie. Top with the other brownie rectangle and gently press down, sandwiching the ice cream in the middle.
Trim the edges so that the sides are even, and then wrap the block tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze again until set, at least 4 hours.
To serve, use a hot, sharp knife to slice the block into rectangles approximately 2x3”.
If you are saving them for later, wrap each ice cream sandwich individually in plastic wrap and place them in a gallon freezer bag to store.
If you’re looking for something to read:
What Happened to Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt?, from the New York Times
This is an interesting read, especially if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I use Diamond Crystal in all of my recipes, so if you are using Morton’s, make sure to decrease the measurements. 1 tsp of Diamond Crystal is equal to about 1/2 tsp of Morton’s Table Salt.
Here’s another look at the different types of salt + a salt conversion chart.