SARAH SAYS: “One evening I was serving homemade macaroons and ice cream for a family dinner, and I cut one of the cookies open and placed some ice cream inside! It was so delicious! And, the macaroons were so chewy and did not crack, the way other ice cream sandwiches made with harder cookies always do! The macaroons were absolutely fab! Hence, my new recipe invention idea! I immediately discussed this with Kelly, and a new idea was born. We use this recipe with our Macaroon Ice Cream Pops.”
FROZEN RECIPE HELP / GLUTEN-FREE RECIPE HELP
KELLY SAYS: “Sarah, your call on using the macaroons as the sandwich part of the ice cream sandwich was right-on!
Even when the ice cream is frozen hard, the macaroons are nice and chewy/moist.”
INSTRUCTIONS AND INGREDIENTS
STEP I: MAKE SARAH'S FAVORITE COCONUT MACAROONS
SARAH'S FAVORITE COCONUT MACAROONS – GLUTEN FREE by Sarah Phillips / Recipe alone
Makes 18 Single Macaroons
Macroons & Ice Cream and photo by Kelly CA © Sarah Phillips, CraftyBaking.com
INGREDIENTS
3 1/4 cups sweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup minus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 fat pinch (1/8 teaspoon) of salt
3 large egg whites
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Position the oven shelf to the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cover a baking sheet, that can fit in your freezer, with aluminum foil and pre-chill it in your freezer. You will need it in STEP II: MAKE THE MACAROON “YUM” ICE CREAM POPS, Step 1.
2. Place the coconut, sugar and salt in a large bowl and stir till combined
3. Add the egg whites and mix them in with a fork.
4. On a silpat mat lined baking sheet, using a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop, place mixture into a 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter, pressing to form an even layer.
5. When layer is even, and compressed, remove the ring. Continue forming cookies like this, till your baking sheet is full.
NOTE: I baked 6 cookies per sheet, but, you could do more, since they don't spread.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Cool macroons on the baking sheet!
Do not remove the macaroons from the baking sheet while they are still hot, or they may become misshapen.
STEP II: MAKE THE MACAROON ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
INGREDIENTS
18 single macaroon cookies, cooled; prepared from STEP I: MAKE SARAH'S FAVORITE COCONUT MACAROONS
Ice Cream Filling:
2 1/4 cups ice cream; Use about 1/4 cup of ice cream per sandwich
Suggested flavors for variety:
1 pint (2 cups) Dulce De Leche ice cream
1 pint (2 cups) Blood Orange Sorbet
1 pint (2 cups) Coffee ice cream
Toppings: You can use whatever you like to sprinkle your pops or sandwiches with, depending on the flavor of the ice cream or sorbet that you use.
You must chop your toppings and have them all ready to go when you are about to dip your pops/sandwiches.
This is something you can do while you are waiting for your ice cream to chill.
I just placed each of them on individual plates, for dipping.
I paired them this way:
For Dulce De Leche Ice Cream= Chopped toasted almonds and/or toasted coconut
For Blood Orange Sorbet= Very finely chopped crystallized ginger
For Coffee Ice Cream= Chopped chocolate covered espresso beans and/or toasted coconut
You may also use colored sprinkles, which are especially nice when you are making them for kids. There's just something about rainbow sprinkles that brings out the kid in all of us.
CHOCOLATE COATING
INGREDIENTS
12 ounces chocolate chips, gluten free
2 tablespoons shortening
INSTRUCTIONS
Fill the macaroon cookies with ice cream:
1. Remove your ice cream or sorbet from the freezer so is soft enough to scoop. From this point on, you must move quickly or your ice cream will become unmanageable.
Place them on the baking sheet that you had pre-chilled in the freezer, from STEP I: MAKE SARAH'S FAVORITE COCONUT MACAROONS, Step 1
2. Take a 2-inch ice cream scoop and form a nice, even scoop of ice cream or about 1/4 cup each.
3. Hold one macaroon, bottom side up, in one hand, and place a scoop of ice cream in the center.
4. Take another macaroon, bottom of cookie toward the ice cream, and gently press together, to make a sandwich.
Make the Chocolate Coating:
1. Place a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Do not let the bottom of your bowl touch the simmering water. You want a gentle heat.
2. Add chocolate chips and shortening to the bowl.
3. Heat gently, stirring occasionally, till chocolate is completely melted and shortening is incorporated.
4. Wipe the bottom of the bowl with a towel, and then pour melted chocolate into a deep narrow container, for dipping. I used a one cup glass measuring cup.
Do not pour all the chocolate into the cup. You do not want it to go up and over the top of the cup when you dip your pop/sandwich.
Leave the remaining chocolate, in the bowl, over the pan of warm water, with the burner OFF.
As you use up your chocolate, refill the cup, making sure that any water on the bottom of your bowl, does not get in your chocolate.
Dip the macaroon ice cream sandwich in the toppings:
1. Dip one half of the sandwich in the melted chocolate and sprinkle it with the topping of your choice.
2. Place finished sandwich on foil lined baking sheet and place it in freezer, topping side up, to firm up.
3. Once firm, serve immediately or wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve.
STORAGE
Pops will keep for about 1 month frozen.
