Coconut-Ginger Ice Cream Sandwiches

E had the idea of making ice cream sandwiches for July 4th, and I suggested coconut ice cream with ginger snaps. Coconut ice cream turns out to be very simple, and we added diced crystallized ginger to the ice cream just because it sounded like a good idea. Based on this ice cream recipe and this cookie recipe.

Ice Cream
ingredients
1 c milk
1 (14 ounce) can cream of coconut (the sweetened stuff)
1 1/2 c heavy cream
1/2 c crystallized ginger, diced
directions
blend the milk and coconut. stir in the cream. put in an ice cream machine and let run for a while. once it’s thickened a bit, add the ginger. let the machine thingy finish it.
Ginger Snaps
ingredients
2 c sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
3 tsp baking soda
1/2 c shortening
1/4 c butter
1 c granulated sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 c light molasses
granulated sugar
directions
cream the butter and shortening. gradually blend in the sugar. add the egg and molasses. mix the dry ingredients and gradually blend in. roll into 1-inch balls, roll in sugar, and bake 8-10 min at 350.
Assembly
once the ice cream is reasonably solid but still spreadable, put a spoonful on a cookie, then top with another cookie, to make a sandwich about 3/4″ thick. freeze them for at least a while, until ready to eat.
Verdict
the ice cream is really tasty. The crystallized ginger tastes great, though the consistency is a little weird — the pieces are a little chewier than you expect to find in ice cream (sort of how the bubbles in bubble tea kind of seem wrong). The cookies are good, though the final result doesn’t taste as good as the dough did — a little of the ginger spice seems to have been baked away (though it comes back as they cool). the consistency is perfect for ice cream sandwiches — flat and chewy without being too crispy or crumbly. but for standalone cookies, you’d probably want more thin-and-crispy than thin-and-chewy — substituting butter for the shortening and reducing the baking soda should do it.