Praline Ice Cream Sandwiches With Mixed Fruit Compote Food

PRALINE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

Steps:

• For an easy post-barbecue treat, sandwich a scoop of softened praline or butter pecan ice cream and a spoonful of caramel sauce between chocolate wafers. Run a knife around the edge to smooth, then roll in chopped pecans, if desired. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve.

PRALINE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES WITH MIXED FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• FOR ICE CREAM:
• Butter small baking sheet. Combine sugar and water in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high; boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, brushing sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add nuts. Immediately pour onto prepared baking sheet. Cool praline completely.
• Finely chop praline. Mix ice cream, cinnamon and half of praline in medium bowl (reserve remaining praline for another use). Cover ice cream and freeze.
• FOR COOKIES:
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Combine first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Beat butter, shortening and 2/3 cup sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in egg. Mix in flour mixture, then crystallized ginger. Transfer dough to ungreased nonstick 13x9x1/2-inch baking sheet. Using rubber spatula, spread dough evenly over baking sheet, covering completely (dough will be sticky). Bake until top is dry and edges begin to brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Immediately cut into 5x2-inch rectangles. Cool. Freeze 8 cookies 1 hour (reserve remainder for another use).(Ice cream and cookies can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.)
• Soften praline ice cream until spreadable. Spread 1/2 cup ice cream over bottom of each of 4 cookies. Top each with another cookie, bottom side down, forming sandwiches. Wrap tightly in plastic; freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep frozen.)
• Place frozen cookie sandwich on work surface. Lay paper strips diagonally across top of cookie. Sift powdered sugar over, forming diagonal lines. Remove strips. Repeat with remaining sandwiches. Place 1 sandwich on each of 4 plates. Using slotted spoon, surround each with compote. Drizzle any syrup from compote around fruit.

PRALINE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Make praline:
• Stir together pecans and salt in a small bowl. Put a large sheet of foil on a work surface.
• Cook sugar in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar melts into a golden caramel. Add salted pecans, stirring until coated well, then spread on foil and cool completely, about 15 minutes. Peel praline off foil and finely chop with a large heavy knife.
• Make sandwich layers:
• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Draw a large X with butter from corner to corner in each baking pan, then line bottom of each pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on each side, pressing to help parchment adhere to X.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Beat together butter and brown sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing until just combined.
• Divide batter between baking pans (about 1 1/2 cups each) and spread into thin, even layers with offset spatula. Sprinkle with praline and bake, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until sandwich layers are golden brown but still tender, about 10 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then transfer with parchment to racks and cool completely, about 30 minutes. Clean 1 baking pan.
• Line cleaned baking pan with fresh parchment, leaving a 1-inch overhang on each side. Invert sandwich layers onto work surface and carefully peel off and discard parchment, then trim edges.
• Assemble sandwiches:
• Transfer 1 sandwich layer, praline side down, to baking pan and spread evenly with ice cream. Top ice cream with second sandwich layer, praline side up, pressing gently to form an even sandwich. Wrap baking pan in plastic wrap and freeze ice cream sandwich at least 1 hour.
• Cut into 24 sandwiches before serving.

QUICK FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• If using strawberries, hull, halve or quarter to make them a similar size to the other berries. Tip all the fruits into a large pan with 2-3 tbsp water, sugar to taste and your choice of flavourings.
• Bring to the boil then simmer for 3-5 mins. Don't overcook, or the fruits will not hold their shape. Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days, in the freezer for up to 3 months.