Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich with Gianduia Spread

Some inventions have disputed origins, while others have a precise date. Some ideas have more than one claimed creator, while others are forever linked to a single name. We know very little about the history of some recipes, but when it comes to the Ice cream sandwich, we know almost everything. When? In 1803. Where? In Paris, at the Café Napolitaine on Boulevard des Italiens. Who? Alessandro Tortoni, a Neapolitan gelato maker. How? By sandwiching two biscuits with a cream, rum and amaretti ice cream. Why? So that it could be enjoyed elegantly, without getting messy, even during social occasions such as an evening at the theatre (after all, it was more of a spectacle than a dessert). The first to fall in love with it were the aristocrats and artists who frequented the famous Parisian café, from Gioachino Rossini to Honoré de Balzac, from Édouard Manet to Alexandre Dumas, who even mentioned the historic café in The Count of Monte Cristo. Soon, however, the refreshing sandwich conquered the whole world, transcending borders and the differences between social classes.

Today, the ice cream sandwich is both an artisanal specialty and an industrial classic. There are variants with chocolate covers, with two or three flavors, even with jokes printed on the surface. Our Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich with Gianduia Spread and toasted hazelnut pieces has just one goal: to bring back the smile you wore as a child on long summer afternoons, around four o'clock, after a swim in the sea or the pool, when it was finally time for a snack. With the very first bite, the rest of the world disappeared, replaced by the wonderful feeling that everything could be perfect, even if only for a few minutes.

Preparation time: 10 minutes (plus about 2 hours in the freezer)

Servings: 4

Ingredients

7oz - 200 g chocolate ice cream
8 Chocolate Chip Cookies Emilia Food Love
Gianduia spread Emilia Food Love, as needed
Toasted chopped hazelnuts, as needed

Method

1. Place 4 chocolate chip cookies on a work surface with the flat side facing up.

2. Top each cookie with a scoop of chocolate ice cream, gently spreading it to the edges without letting it spill over.

3. Add a teaspoon of Gianduia Spread and sprinkle with the toasted chopped hazelnuts.

4. Top each one with another cookie and press down gently to form a sandwich.

5. Roll the edges in the chopped hazelnuts, then place the ice cream sandwiches in the freezer for about 2 hours before serving.
   
   Tip

If you like, you can replace the chocolate ice cream with vanilla, sweet cream, pistachio, or hazelnut ice cream. For an even more indulgent treat, try filling your ice cream sandwiches with our White Chocolate & Pistachio Spread or our Dark Chocolate Spread instead.