Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches with Blueberry Swirl

Makes 8

Time: 41/2 hrs (includes freezing)

Chewy blondie cookies bookend a thick layer of lemony ice-cream ribboned with blueberry compote.

For Lemon Ice Cream:

2 pint premium vanilla ice cream

1 tbsp grated lemon zest

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

For Blueberry Compote:

10 oz blueberries

55 gm sugar

2 strips lemon zest (3 by 2.5 inch)

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tsp cornstarch

For Sandwich Layers:

110 gm all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

113 gm unsalted butter, softened

150 gm packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Equipment: 2 (8 inch) square baking pans (2 inches deep) ; a small offset spatula

Make Lemon Ice Cream:

Softened the ice ceam at room temperature. Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Spread ice cream thinly in a 13 by 9 inch baking dish and freeze while making compote and sandwich layers.

Make Blueberry Compote:

Cook blueberries, sugar and zest in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, thouroughly crushing blueberries with a potato masher, until juices are released and sugar has dissolved, for about 2 minutes.

Stir together lemon juice and cornstarch, then stir in the blueberry mixture. Boil, stirring 1 minute (mixture will thicken).

Transfer blueberry compote to a bowl and chill untill cold, about 1 hour. Discard lemon zest.

Make Sandwich layers while compote chills:

Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius with rack in the middle. Butter baking pans and line with foil, leaving a 1 inch overhang on each side, then butter foil.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat together butter and brown sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. At low speed, add flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing until just combined.

Divide batter between baking pans and spread into thin, even layers with offset spatula. Bake until golden brown but still tender, 10-12 minutes. Cool completely in pans, about 30 minutes.

Assemble sandwiches: 

Dollop tablespooons of blueberry compote all over ice cream, then swirl it gently through ice cream with a spoon. Spoon all of ice cream over 1 sandwich layer( in pan) and spread evenly using clean offset spatula. Invert second sandwich layer over ice cream, pressing gently to form an even sandwich. Wrap baking pans in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.

Transfer sandwich to a cutting board using overhang. Trim edges if desired, then cut into 8 pieces.

Note: Ice cream sandwich (before cutting) can be made 1 week ahead and frozen in pan, wrapped in plastic wrap and then in foil.