Butterbeer Ice Cream Sandwiches

For the big debut of the latest Harry Potter I made an ice cream sandwich inspired by butterbeer, which is said to taste like butterscotch and short bread cookies!

One line reminder to vote for my entry in the California Raisin Let's re-Do Lunch Competition! Vote Daily!

Anybody else a little tired this morning? I AM DEAD! Because of COURSE I went to see the Harry Potter Premier last night! Yes, I am just barely in the age group that grew up with Harry Potter. The first movie came out my senior year of high school....and two college degrees later.....we're on the seventh movie! Crazy!

Okay, so my youth is totally showing. But you can't deny it. Harry Potter is HUGE! Which means there has got to be at least one Harry Potter fan that you're friends with and they'll love your for making them a bit of butterbeer or butterbeer ice cream sandwiches!

Not only did I make butterbeer this week, but when I read that butterbeer is supposed to taste like shortbread cookies and butterscotch....well, it was an easy call to make: butterscotch  shortbread cookies ice cream sandwiches! and yes, I ate them for breakfast this morning before running off to an 8:30 staff meeting. I really have a problem with eating ice cream sandwiches for breakfast when I'm running late!

Butterbeer Ice Cream Sandwiches

(butterscotch shortbread cookie sandwiches)

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoons butter

1/2 tablespoons vanilla

2 1/4 cups cream, divided

1 cup milk

3 egg yolks

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, stir brown sugar, butter, and vanilla until butter is melted, sugar dissolved, and the mixture is bubbling. Stir in 1/4 cup of cream and continue to stir until mixed thoroughly. Remove butterscotch mixture from heat and allow to cool. 

In a stand mixer combine the egg yolks and butterscotch mixture.  Beat for one minute, then mix in the milk and cream gradually.

Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker. Allow the ice cream to churn until finished and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Shortbread Cookies

2 cups unsalted butter, unsalted
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter powdered sugar, and vanilla  in a large bowl. If the dough is too crumbly add another 2 tablespoons of butter.

Roll dough out to half an inch thick and cut into small shapes using cookie cutters, or into squares using a knife. Place the cookies one inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 14-15 minutes or until set, and the bottoms are a light golden brown. Immediately remove to a wire rack to cool completely. 

To Assemble the Ice Cream Sandwiches:

Place a scoop full of ice cream on an upside down cookie. Using a second cookie press down on top of the scoop of ice cream to form a sandwich. 

Place in the freezer to freeze until fully hardened. I pressed butterscotch chips into the sides of mine. Their optional but add a delightful touch of whimsy. 

Enjoy! 

Cream Soda Battered Corn Dogs

Iron Chef Soda was a great success! A little heavy on the sugary treats for a dinner party but I’m not complaining! We had a few standout dishes to be sure! Congratulations to David on his win with Pomegranate Sorbet! Next Month’s ingredient is Saffron! photos as seen on photograzing and food beast.

cream soda battered corn dogs

I found this Iron Chef to be challenging. And I picked it! What’s up with that??? Next time I win I’m picking……….um………..bacon. Now that would be a tasty night.

I’ll admit, I didn’t figure out at all what I was going to make until the day before. It’s been a busy month and I kinda forgot! Oops! It happens! Between bake sales, long distance relationships, trivia, writing, blogging,  planning trips to Kansas and NYC, my daring baker challenge….I forgot.

My thought process went a little something like this:

“OH MAN! Okay I need some I can just like, pour a can of something into, like, a beer battered onion ring. Only, not beer. Not beer. Not beer. Not beer…..crud. There is no soda replacement for beer. Square one. Replace the water in a recipe with sparkling water…..that’s kinda lame. Okay, replace the milk in something with soda……CREAM SODA! PERFECT!”

Yes, I really did consider doing the lamest recipe of all and just replacing water with carbonated water. It’s one of the lower points in this cooking competition.

clockwise: dr. pepper pancakes and syrup, curry, cheetos (seriously), apple dumplings, stawberry soda cake, raspberry blackberry cobbler, dr. pepper cake, soda bbq chicken, david pomegranate sorbet

We had some great entrees. My friend Katelyn made the dutch oven classic raspberry blackberry cobbler with soda added to the cake mix, and Gina pulled off the apple dumplings from the Pioneer Woman. Both of which were excellent. The real killer of the night was David’s Pomegranate Sorbet. The recipe is below!!!!

A successful evening! (Another success was our attempt at a bacon wrapped corn dog. A little more greasy but I like it). David will be hosting us for Iron Chef Saffron next month! I’m very sad I’ll be missing it but I’m not skipping my weekend with the long distance boyfriend for it. Shocking right?

Enjoy!

Cream Soda Battered Hot Dogs

oil for deep frying

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons bacon drippings

1 egg, beaten

1 1/4 cups cream soda

2 tablespoons powdered buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 pounds hot dogs

wooden sticks

Heat oil in a deep fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).

Put hot dogs on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels in the oven on warm while working.

In a stand mixer, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Stir in melted bacon drippings. Pour in the egg, buttermilk, and baking soda. Mix until everything is smooth and well blended.

Insert wooden sticks into the ends into the end of each hot dog as you. Dip the hot dogs in the batter one at a time, shaking off the excess. Deep fry a few at a time in the hot oil until they are as brown as you like them. Place finished corn dogs back onto the cookie sheet in the oven to drain, and to keep warm.

David's Pomegranate Sorbet

1 pint blueberries (the better they are, the better the result!)

1 bottle Izze Pomegranate Soda

1 c. sugar  (If you don't want it quite as sweet, you can remove a couple of Tbsp.)

1 pinch salt

1/2 Tbsp. vanilla

Blend and strain the blueberries.  It'll probably be a bit goopy due to the pectin in them.  Combine everything but the vanilla into a sauce pan and heat to dissolve the sugar and pectin from the blueberries.  Take off the heat and add the vanilla.  Chill over night, and freeze.