toasted sesame & matcha ice cream cookie sandwiches

 

ice cream sandwiches are a staple treat over the summer months & using homemade cookies as the base is a must! this combination of toasted sesame & matcha is so unique, think bakery level status. it pairs perfectly with the simplicity of the creamy vanilla ice cream. justin couldn't get enough!

the chewy sugar cookie base features aiya's culinary grade matcha. my go to matcha for baking. i also want to note that i used toasted sesame oil instead of regular sesame oil because it adds a way stronger flavour to the final cookie. a little goes a long way!

lastly, these cookies can be both pre-baked, frozen & assembled as you serve OR preassembled so they are ready to go anytime the craving strikes. a little trick i like to do is to portion the ice cream into individual scoops & freeze them on a baking sheet. this will keep the ice cream frozen for longer as you assemble, trust me on this one!

ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
  • 2 teaspoons aiya’s culinary grade matcha
  • 1 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • black & white sesame seeds, for sprinkling

directions

  • preheat oven to 350(f)degrees. line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar & matcha until fluffy.
  • add the sesame oil, vanilla & egg. beat until combined.
  • sift in the flour, baking soda & salt. beat until dough comes together.
  • using a small ice cream scoop for evenly sized cookies, scoop the mixture into 16 rounds. transfer 8 cookies to each prepared baking sheet & sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  • bake until the edges begin to turn golden, about 10 minutes. let cool completely before filling with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

green tea ice cream + white chocolate fudge sundae

 

the warm weather means it is time to start enjoying ice cream again! i can't stress enough how easy making ice cream from scratch really is. the only investment it require is an ice cream maker. i use the kitchen aid ice cream maker attachment. i have had it for a few years now & it works perfectly everytime. plus it is way easier to store then owning a separate machine! once you make the investment, you will be creating all sorts of delicious ice cream flavours at home. the key is to place the bowl in the freezer before bed & make the ice cream base before bed too. that way when you wake up, everything is ready to go & all you have to do is churn the mixture into ice cream! the base takes literally 10 minutes to make, so you can do it right before you go to sleep.

for the first ice cream recipe of the year, i am kickin things off with a green tea ice cream, topped with a homemade white chocolate fudge sauce. this sauce is so good, you'll be eating it with a spoon. it is like liquid white chocolate gold. this month also marks aiya's 130th anniversary! since 1888, aiya matcha has been producing premium japanese matcha green tea. the company has been owned by the same family since the beginning & i am so excited they asked me to be part of the celebration! i think a fun, matcha inspired ice cream sundae is the perfect way to celebrate this huge milestone. read all about the history of the company & it's may celebrations here. celebrate by making your own green tea ice cream sundae with the recipe below!

xo

ingredients

green tea ice cream sundae

  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons aiya's matcha powder (i use the cooking grade blend)
  • 1 ½ cups whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • white chocolate fudge sauce (see recipe below), for serving
  • whipped cream, for serving
  • sprinkles, for serving
  • cherries, for serving

white chocolate fudge sauce

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon white corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cups white chocolate chips
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla

directions

green tea ice cream

  • chill the ice cream bowl in the freezer overnight if required.
  • in a saucepan over medium heat add the milk & matcha powder. bring to a simmer & remove from heat (do NOT boil). whisk until the matcha is evenly distributed.
  • in a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks and white sugar until combined.
  • temper in a cup of the matcha milk, whisking vigorously to ensure the eggs do not cook.
  • pour mixture back into the saucepan & cook on low heat until it thickens slightly.
  • strain base into a mixing bowl and stir in whipping cream. let the ice cream base cool overnight in the refrigerator tightly covered with cling wrap. do not skip this step, ice cream will be too soft if the mixture isn't chilled properly.
  • transfer mixture to desired ice cream bowl and churn for 20 minutes.
  • transfer mixture to a freezer safe container and freeze until solid, about 4 hours.
  • when ready to serve, scoop mixture into serving bowl & drizzle with white chocolate fudge. top with whipped cream, sprinkles & a cherry if desired!

white chocolate fudge sauce

  • in a saucepan over low heat add the sugar, cream, corn syrup & butter. cook until the sugar fully dissolves, do not let mixture come to a boil.
  • remove from heat & stir in the white chocolate chips, salt & vanilla.
  • strain into a glass jar & refrigerate until ready to use. sauce can be served both hot and cold!

mini matcha swirl cheesecakes

 

happy gilmore girl release day!!!! errr.. black friday. i hope you all had an amazing thanksgiving & ate your weight in turkey! instead of being surrounded by crowds & going black friday shopping this year, i am going to do the complete opposite. i plan to stay in, bake some holiday cookies & binge watch the whole season of the new girlmore girl's revival. i woke up early & already watched the first episode, but i don't want to spoil it!

if you plan to do the same as me today, here is the perfect little bite size treats to whip up: mini matcha swirl cheesecakes. i usually only make cheesecake during the holiday's & this year i wanted to make something mini. if you couldn't tell by now, i love making mini versions of things! the filling is half vanilla cheesecake & half matcha cheesecake baked onto a gingersnap crust. as always, i used aiya matcha's cooking grade matcha powder to ensure the matcha flavour doesn't get lost with all the other ingredients. a little cheesecake making tip for you, ALWAYS make sure the cheesecake & the eggs are at room temperature or you will end up with chunks of cream cheese. i always use philadelphia's full fat cream cheese because i never have any luck with other brands. lastly please, PLEASE do not buy the lower fat cream cheese available, they never turn out! i have tried one too many times. anyways, have a great long weekend:)

ingredients

for the gingersnap crust

  • 1.5 cups gingersnap crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the swirled filling

directions

for the gingersnap crust

  • in a mixing bowl add the gingersnap crumbs, sugar, vanilla & butter. stir until a wet sandy mixture is formed.
  • press the crust into twelve lined cupcake tins & bake for five minutes while you prepare the filling.

for the swirled filling

  • in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the cream cheese & sugar until smooth.
  • add in the eggs one at a time, scrapping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. finished off with vanilla extract.
  • divide batter into two equal portions. leave one as is & add the matcha powder to the other one.
  • add one scoop of each mixture per cupcake tin & swirl together with a knife.
  • bake for 20 minutes & let cool completely before serving.
  • top with whipped cream if desired.

this post was created in partnership with aiya matcha! you can find the cooking grade matcha powder that i used here. thank you for supporting the brands that keep me doing what i love! xo