Nice Cream Sandwich

For 8 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box GoGo Quinoa chocolate chip cookies
• 1 can of full-fat coconut milk, divided
• ½ cup raw, unsalted cashews
• ¼ cup organic golden cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free corn starch
• ¼ to 1/3 cup dark chocolate, chopped (or mini chocolate chips)
• Optional: more chocolate, for melting and drizzling on top

Find a certified gluten-free cornstarch brand, but do not be tempted to skip it; the starch has the functional purpose of binding water in the recipe and your ice cream will be much less icy thanks to it.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a small saucepan, bring about 1 cup of water to a boil, then pour over the cashews. Soak for at least 30 minutes, and up to 6 hours. The cashews can be soaked up to 2 days ahead, drained, then kept in the fridge in a closed glass jar until needed.
2. Open the coconut milk can and measure out 1 cup into a measuring cup/glass. Set aside.
3. Add the remaining coconut milk and the drained cashews to the jar of a high-powered blender and blend until completely smooth. Set this cashew mixture aside.
4. Next, prepare the dry caramel by adding the sugar to a small, heavy-based saucepan. Place on medium heat. Let the sugar heat and start melting. Do not stir the sugar or it will clump up. When the sugar starts melting around the edges, swirl the saucepan around. Continue watching patiently and swirling the pot, until the sugar has melted into a light amber caramel.
5. Remove caramel pot from the heat, and quickly but carefully add the 1 cup of coconut milk – caution, it will sputter and steam. Return saucepan to the heat and continue warming the mixture over medium heat, stirring until all the caramel bits have dissolved. Add the maple syrup.
6. While the caramel mixture comes up to temperature, mix the 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl until completely smooth, with no lumps. Add the cornstarch slurry to the caramel milk mixture, stirring it in. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk or a spatula, until thickened, and having the consistency of pudding. Remove from the heat and let cool.
7. When the caramel mixture has cooled down slightly, add in the blended cashew mixture. Stir well until completely homogenous. Refrigerate mixture until completely cool, preferably overnight. Add the mixture to your ice cream machine and churn until it has reached soft-serve consistency. Stop your machine and fold in the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. Transfer to a glass container with a tight-fitting lid, and place in the freezer for at least 3-4 hours, until firm.
8. To serve, place 1 scoop of ice cream in between 2 GoGo Quinoa chocolate chip cookies. Drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired, then serve immediately. Alternatively, make sandwiches until you’ve used up all the ice cream, roll them up in wax paper and store them in a box in the freezer for a ready-to-go treat.

Tip: if you left the ice cream in the freezer longer than 3-4 hours it will be harder to scoop. In that case, place the ice cream in the fridge for 20 minutes, then scoop and assemble the ice-cream sandwiches as desired.