Lemon Blueberry Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients:

Gluten free lemon sponge:

1-2 tbsp sunflower oil for greasing the baking sheet

4 medium eggs, room temperature

150 g caster sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

zest of 1 lemon

35 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled until lukewarm

20 g sunflower oil

110 g plain gluten free flour

1/2 tsp Xanthan gum

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

No-churn blueberry ice cream:

400 g frozen blueberries

200 g double cream, cold from the fridge

160 g sweetened condensed milk, cold from the fridge

1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)

juice of 1/2 lemon

Method:

1. To make the Gluten free lemon sponge: adjust the oven rack to the middle position, pre-heat the oven to 160C Fan and line a 25x38cm rimmed baking sheet with baking paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper and the sides of the baking sheet with oil (you can also spray it with non-stick baking spray).

2. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer fitted with the double beaters, whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale, thick, fluffy and about tripled in volume (the ribbon stage). This should take about 5-7 minutes on a high speed setting.  Add the vanilla and lemon zest, and whisk until evenly distributed. Add the melted butter and oil, and whisk briefly until combined.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together the gluten free flour blend, Xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and whisk well for about 15-30 seconds until no flour clumps remain. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl to prevent any unmixed patches.

4. Transfer the batter into the lined baking sheet and smooth it out into an even layer. You can tap it a few times on the counter to make it perfectly level and also to get rid of any large trapped air pockets.  Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until well risen, golden on top, soft and spongy to the touch, and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

5. Allow the sponge to cool completely in the baking sheet.

6. Line a 20cm square baking tin with baking paper.  Turn the cooled sponge onto a large sheet paper, and peel away the top sheet of baking paper that used to line the baking sheet.  Cut out two large sponge squares so that they fit in the baking tin where you will be assembling the ice cream sandwich slab.  Place one sponge square on the bottom of the line baking tin, and then prepare the ice cream mixture.

7. Make the No-churn blueberry ice cream.  Combine all the ice cream ingredients in the bowl of a high-speed food blender or food processor.  Blend them together until thick and smooth.

8. Spread the no-churn ice cream mixture on top and smooth it out into an even layer. Place the other sponge square on top, pressing down gently so that it sticks to the ice cream mixture.

9. Cover the baking tin with plastic wrap/cling film or a sheet of aluminium foil and freeze for any least 6-8 hours or preferably overnight.

10. Once frozen solid, remove the ice cream sandwich slab from the baking tin and trim the edges with a large serrated knife. This will give you neater ice cream sandwiches. Cut the frozen ice cream sandwich slab into the individual portions.

11. Serve the ice cream sandwiches straight away or freeze them to enjoy later.  The gluten free lemon blueberry ice cream sandwiches keep well in a closed air-tight container in the freezer for up to about 1 month.