Croissant Ice Cream Sandwiches
YOU GUYS. This is not so much a recipe as a public service announcement. I’m not even going to waste time with a pithy little intro on this one. I just need to cut straight to the chase: CROISSANT ICE CREAM SANDWICHES. I have made these twice now, and both times, I’ve managed to mumble through a mouth full of buttery flaky dough, ice cream dribbling down my chin, “How is this not a THING?!” As in, why haven’t we always been doing this? Why has no one else thought of this and shouted it from the rooftops? How is there no trendy downtown ice cream parlor that specializes in this funky delicacy?!
So I consider it my duty to bring the good news to the masses: A scoop of ice cream nestled into a croissant is possibly the best dessert that there could possibly be. Granted, it’s not really a recipe, which is kind of the point of this blog- you could basically buy all of the components in the store and just assemble them. But it honestly just doesn’t matter. That’s how passionately I feel about croissant ice cream sandwiches.
Before I get swept away for good on a wave of hyperbole, let me explain to you why it’s so delicious. It seems silly that I should have to, but I’ll give it a go. First off, you’ve got to find a good croissant. Any good French bakery worth it’s salt should have a few for you to take home. A good croissant is a thing of beauty: the texture light, flaky, and tender, and the taste, simply put- butter. It doesn’t matter what flavor ice cream you choose; just pick your favorite. Should you want to tuck in a few pieces of juicy nectarine or a hefty spoonful of chocolate ganache, well then, more power to you. But the magic really happens when they all come together. The croissant makes the perfect vessel for the ice cream, because it’s crispy and firm on the outside, holding the ice cream in (mostly), but the flaky inside layers soak up all of the dripping ice cream, which fills up all the little nooks and crannies. As you eat your way through it, the ice cream gets softer and softer, and the dribbles meld with the juicy bits of fruit and make their way through the little holes in the croissant, begging to be licked up. Do it, because you’ll get a tongue-ful of nectarine juice and melted ice cream and little bits of crispy croissant crust.
Are you convinced yet? Have I converted you to the gospel of croissant ice cream sandwiches? With this knowledge comes great responsibility, my friends. As I have shared with you, you must now go out and share it with the world. You need to make these tonight, and then again next time you have friends over for dinner, and again any time you need a quick easy dessert that will impress people and make them groan with the sheer amazing deliciousness of it all. Go forth and eat ice cream sandwiches!
Notes
*If you're going to put a batch of this in the freezer, let the eggplant cool after it's been baked. Then arrange it in the dish or pan and freeze the pieces. Once they're frozen through, top with the sauce and cheese, wrap well with plastic wrap, and put back in the freezer. When you are ready to eat it, following the baking instructions, but add a bit more time, probably 20-30 minutes. Just remember to take off the plastic wrap before you bake it!
Ingredients
- Olive oil, for baking sheets
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 2 large or 3 medium eggplants (2- 2 1/2 pounds total), peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 4 cups (48 ounces) your favorite tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush 2 baking sheets with oil; set aside. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and 2 tablespoons water. In another shallow bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup Parmesan, oregano, and basil; season with salt and pepper.
- Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, coating well; place on baking sheets. Bake until golden brown on bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn slices; continue baking until browned on other side, 20 to 25 minutes more. Remove from oven; raise oven temp to 400 degrees.
- Arrange the eggplant in dish, each piece slightly overlapping the last. Cover with sauce, then mozzarella. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.