Gelato Biscotto (Italian Ice Cream Sandwiches)

Ingredients

• 140 g (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter (melted, plus extra for greasing)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 100 g (½ cup) brown sugar (or light brown sugar )
• 105 g (½ cup) white sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 110 g (¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons) all purpose flour
• 60 g unsweetened cocoa powder ((⅔ cup, packed))
• 300 ml (1 and 1/4 cup) heavy cream (double cream)
• 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk ((200g/7oz))
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 250 g (9oz) Dark chocolate (melted (can also use milk choc))
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts

Steps

1. 1

   Melt the butter in a saucepan and let it cool. Preheat your oven to 180C/350F static.

2. 2

   In a large mixing bowl, mix the melted butter, olive oil, vanilla, both sugars and eggs together with a hand whisk until well combined.

3. 3

   Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and add a pinch of salt, and whisk into the wet ingredients until it’s smooth with no lumps. The batter should be quite thick.

4. 4

   Grease a baking tray (15x10 inch) with butter, then line it with baking parchment so the parchment doesn’t move. Spread the batter over the tray in an even and smooth layer.

5. 5

   Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover it with a clean kitchen towel and leave to cool completely.

6. 6

   Once cooled cut the cake in half then trim the edges to fit a 10 inch sized dish. Line the dish with plastic wrap and baking parchment, leaving enough overhang to wrap over the top.

7. 7

   Lay your first piece of cake on the bottom of the dish with the top side down.

8. 8

   Now make your ice cream. Put the heavy cream, condensed milk and vanilla in a bowl and whisk with an electric whisk to stiff peaks. Spread the ice cream in an even layer over the cake. Top with your second layer of cake then cover tightly with plastic wrap on top.

9. 9

   Freeze for at least 8 hours to overnight. Once frozen, trim the edges and cut into 10 ice cream sandwiches (or cut more or less to your own preference).

10. 10

    Mix chopped hazelnuts with melted chocolate the dip half of the ice cream sandwiches into the chocolate leaving the remaining half uncovered (easier to hold).