Ben and Jerry's ice cream sandwich recipe

Ben and Jerry's Cookie Dough ice cream, sandwiched between chewy, chocolate chip cookies. Need we say more? A truly delicious and indulgent treat for both children and adults alike. There's much fun to be had with this simple recipe. Children can get stuck in making the cookie dough, using their hands to mix and shape, while adults can 'saw' through the ice cream tub. A wonderful family baking activity!

Ingredients

• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g soft light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 275g self-raising flour
• 200g milk chocolate chips
• 500ml tub of Ben and Jerry's Cookie Dough ice cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas mark 3 and line two to three baking trays with baking paper.
2. Weigh the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. It is much quicker to do this with an electric whisk but some children may find this too noisy or want to do it themselves. If using a wooden spoon, make sure your butter is very soft, or it will take a long time and a lot of elbow grease!!
3. Once your butter and sugar mixture is light and fluffy, it's time to add the egg. If your child is keen to crack the egg, it might be wise to crack it into a small bowl first, so that you can easily pick out any stray egg shell! Pour the egg into the creamed butter and sugar mixture, along with the vanilla extract, and keep mixing until everything is well combined.
4. Weigh the flour into the mixing bowl and use a wooden spoon or spatula to fold the flour into the wet mixture. Keep mixing until all the flour has been incorporated.
5. Pour the chocolate chips into the dough; be sure to test a few to check the quality! Stir the chocolate chips into the cookie dough.
6. You can use an ice cream scoop to make sure all of your cookies are the same size, otherwise simply gather up handfuls, roll into balls and place onto the lined baking trays. This is a great job for little helpers. If making small, child friendly versions, you will need to make 24 cookies to make 12 ice cream sandwiches. If making large cookies, you will need to make 12 cookies to make 6 ice cream sandwiches. You can of course make a mixture of both! Don't press the mixture down; let the oven work its magic!
7. If you make small cookies for the children, then cook for around 10 to 12 minutes. Giant, adult sized cookies will take longer, around 15 to 17 minutes. Keep a keen eye on the cookies and make sure they stay pale in colour. They will be very soft when you take them from the oven but they will firm up when left on the baking tray for five or so minutes. You can then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Now to assemble your ice cream cookie sandwiches. Make sure the ice cream is well frozen. It will be impossible to slice through it if it is soft! Turn your tub of ice cream onto its side and hold in place firmly with a tea towel or kitchen paper so it doesn't roll away. Use a very sharp knife to slice straight through the cardboard tub and through the ice cream. A bread knife would work well.
   
9. Take one cookie, underside facing up, and place on top a disc of ice cream, complete with the cardboard still intact. Place the other cookie on top, to sandwich the ice cream filling, then peel away the sliver of Ben and Jerry's packaging! When making the child sized ice cream sandwiches, you may find it easier to spoon the ice cream straight into the middle of the cookies, instead of in slices.