FoCo Joe: Ice Cream Sandwich Barnburner
It’s pretty crazy to think that the summer quarter is ending in less than three weeks. The term flew by, and I have learned a lot this summer. But one thing that will always confuse me about this campus is the unpredictable weather patterns. I have no complaints about the summer temperatures in good ol’ Hanover, but I have yet to master the concept of humidity and how to best prepare myself for it. Every humid day leads to my wanting to wear flip flips, because my feet get uncomfortable in fluffy socks, but I think I there has only been one day this summer where I have worn my flip-flops and it hasn’t rained. It’s as if I’m Dartmouth’s Karen, from Mean Girls—my feet can always tell when it’s already raining.
My dessert this week is loosely inspired by my recent weather mishaps this summer, but really I have to give 99% of the credit, if not all of the credit, to @infatuation, one of the several Instagram food accounts that I follow almost religiously. The account writes reviews of New York City restaurants and posts photos of delicious-looking food from New York City; if not original photos, then reposts from NYCers using the hashtag #EEEEEATS. Last week The Infatuation posted a photo of a “chocolate chip cookie warm ice cream sandwich,” or “Barnburner,” from Hay Rosie Craft Ice Cream Store in New York City. I decided to recreate the dessert for this week’s column, and boy oh boy did it burn the barn down.
This dessert goes beyond the basic concept of a FoCo ice cream sandwich, honing in on the details. What makes this dessert so good is the combination of hot and gooey FoCo cookies with the creamy, chilly chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Throw in the right ice cream toppings and this dessert really distinguishes itself from the rest.
Step 1: Select two of the gooiest chewiest FoCo cookies. Unlike the previous ice cream sandwich I made in the winter, which called for more sturdy cookies, it is highly encouraged to find cookies that will break apart. This way the warmth of the cookie dough and oozy chocolate chips make themselves truly at home on the ice cream surface, causing the ice cream to melt ever so slightly. This ice cream sandwich, for better or for worse, is too messy to be eaten with hands.
Step 2: Head on over to the toppings bar and pour some amount of toppings onto the bottoms of the two cookies. I love Reese’s Pieces and sprinkles, but any combination of toppings will do.
Step 3: Head over to the ice creams and select your ice cream flavor of choice. My go-to these days is chocolate chip cookie dough, though mint chip or vanilla are also good. It’s important that the scoop itself is on the modest side so that there is an appropriate balance of warm and chilly.
Step 4: You’re now ready to assemble. It is not nearly as difficult as it will appear to be. One tip is to flatten the ice cream slightly so that there is room for the toppings, and) less pressure on the cookies.
Step 5: With a spoon, spread the remaining Reese’s Pieces and sprinkles onto any free ice cream surface you see. This is not entirely necessary, but I find it improves presentation, and this way all of the toppings are guaranteed to interact with the sandwich, rather than get left behind to fend for themselves.
And boom goes the dynamite, this dessert is ready to go. The gooiness of the cookies makes this dessert easy to eat with a spoon, and even easier to share with friends. Next week expect a dessert on the lighter side, because the last few concoctions have been a bit of a doozy. But hey, it’s Sophomore Summer, and we’ve only got so much of it left.
Cheers!