blue floral ice cream sandwiches
Makes 20 ice cream sandwiches
Butterfly blue pea floral shortbread cookies filled with butterfly blue ice cream, a match made in culinary heaven. The cookies, infused with the delicate flavor and vibrant blue hue of butterfly blue pea flowers paired with a scoop of creamy ice cream, naturally dyed a radiant blue by the same enchanting flowers, this treat is a symphony of flavors and colors. As the buttery shortbread and sweet ice cream melt together, the subtle floral notes of the butterfly pea flowers transport you to a whimsical world of wonder and delight. It's magic in every bite.
Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
For the shortbread cookies:
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks/339 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/3 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt (8g)
3 large egg yolks (45g)
2 tablespoons (25 g) pure vanilla extract
4 cups (611 g) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butterfly blue pea powder
2 cups mixed edible flower petals and tender herbs
INSTRUCTIONS:
Line 2 flexible cutting mats with parchment paper and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and salt on medium speed until completely combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the yolks and mix until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until just combined. In a separate bowl, combine butterfly pea powder with the flour and sift until evenly mixed. Add the flour into the egg butter mixture and mix on low speed until the dough comes together in a ball, about 5 minutes.
Place the dough on a large sheet of parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment on top and roll out the dough to 1/3” inch thick. Remove the top piece of parchment paper and stamp out the cookies with a 1 or 2-inch round cookie cutter, then artfully decorate each round with the edible flower petals and herbs. Replace the top sheet of parchment paper and gently roll over each cookie to fix the flowers in place. One by one, remove the flower-pressed cookies with an offset spatula and place them on a parchment-lined flexible cutting mat. Reroll and repeat with any remaining dough scraps.
Put the flexible mats with the unbaked cookies in layers in the freezer for 4 hours.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack set in the middle position. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Arrange the cookies on the prepared sheet pan, leaving 1/4-inch space between them. Bake for 7 minutes; rotate the pan and bake for another 8 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack.
INGREDIENTS:
For the ice cream:
2 cups heavy cream (480g)
2/3 cup whole milk (160g)
2/3 cups sugar (133g_
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large whole eggs
1 tablespoon butterfly blue pea powder
INSTRUCTIONS:
Bring cream, milk, salt, and sugar just to a boil, stirring occasionally, and remove pan from heat and then stir in butterfly pea powder and whisk until combined
In a large bowl lightly beat eggs. Add hot cream mixture to eggs in a slow stream, whisking, and pour into pan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until a thermometer registers 170°F. (Do not let boil.) Pour custard through a sieve into a clean bowl and cool. Chill custard, covering the surface with plastic or a beeswax wrap (only if the custard is at room temperature) for at least 3 hours, or until cold, and up to 1 day.
Freeze custard in an ice-cream maker. Then, prep your flowers to add petals. It looks best if the florals are a variety of colors. Add 3 scoops of the frozen ice cream into your container, then a layer of the first flower petals and then repeat, 3 scoops of custard, flower petals, repeat, repeat. Make sure the sides of your container are clean so that the petals can be seen through the container. As for the flower petals— I like using scissors and cutting the petals directly on top of the cream, that way I can control how large the petals are-- the goal should be petals the size of a dime. You don’t have to use different flower petals, one variety of flower will work beautifully. Place a lid on your container and put in freezer to harden overnight.
To assemble ice cream sandwiches:
Scoop ice cream with a tablespoon and nestle in between two shortbread cookies. Serve immediately or put back into the freezer as the ice cream will melt.
