Gingerbread Caramelized Apple Ice Cream Sandwiches

• servings: 8 items

Ingredients

1 package Nestlé Toll House Rolled and Ready Gingerbread Cookie Dough Sheets

1½ tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar

Heaping ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

3 medium apples such as Cortland or Gala, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

3 cups vanilla ice cream (buy 1 quart), slightly softened

1, 4-ounce Nestlé Toll House Premier White Baking Bar, finely chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable shortening or coconut oil

Directions

For Cookies: Position racks in lower and upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

Open Nestlé Toll House Rolled and Ready Gingerbread Cookie Dough Sheets package and separate the two sheets. Use a 3-inch round, fluted cookie cutter to cut out 6 cookies from each sheet. Gather scraps together and roll out on lightly floured surface and cut out 4 more cookies. Place cookies evenly spaced on prepared sheets.

Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets once during baking front to back and also switching from upper to lower rack. Cookies should be very slightly puffed, dry to the touch but still a bit soft. Cool pans on racks.

Meanwhile Make the Caramelized Apples: Melt butter in skillet over medium heat and stir in brown sugar to combine. Add apples and stir to coat. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring often. Apples should be coated and glazed; use a wooden spoon to stir and break them down into approximately ½-inch pieces. Do not overcook; you want the apples to have a little texture. Scrape into a small bowl, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.

For Assembly: Make room in freezer to hold a clean parchment lined baking sheet. Combine slightly softened ice cream and cold caramelized apples, folding together gently but thoroughly. Spread ice cream on flat bottom of one cookie (a small offset spatula works well) and top with a second cookie, flat side down. Press gently. Repeat with remaining ice cream and cookies, keeping the initial ones frozen as you work.

Melt white chocolate and shortening in microwave or top of double boiler, stirring until smooth, then scrape into parchment cone. Working quickly, with all of the ice cream sandwiches on clean parchment lined baking sheet, snip small opening from tip of parchment cone. Apply zigzags of white chocolate over sandwiches as shown in image. (Alternatively you could drizzle the chocolate from a fork). Freeze until chocolate is firm. Sandwiches are ready to eat, or wrap individually in plastic wrap or cellophane treat bag, closed tight, for up to 3 days. Serve cold.