Step 1: Begin by carefully unrolling your pre-made puff pastry sheets. Place one sheet on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Evenly sprinkle 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar over the entire surface of the pastry. You will need two pieces of puff pastry for each sandwich, serving as the top and bottom layers. If your baking sheet is generously sized, you might be able to fit both sheets on it; otherwise, you can bake them in two separate batches.

Step 2: To ensure the puff pastry bakes flat and develops that signature crisp, dense texture, cover the sugared pastry with another piece of parchment paper, then gently place a second baking sheet directly on top. This sandwiching technique prevents excessive puffing. Bake the pastry in your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Be diligent and check the pastry at the 20-minute mark, then every 5 minutes thereafter, to prevent burning. You’re aiming for a beautiful, deep golden-brown color, indicating optimal caramelization and crispness.

Step 3: Once baked and cooled slightly, use the bottom of an 8″ or 9″ square pan as a precise guide to cut both caramelized puff pastry sheets into perfect squares. For the cleanest cuts that maintain the pastry’s flaky layers without crushing them, it is highly recommended to use a large serrated knife (like a bread knife) and employ a gentle sawing motion rather than pressing straight down. This technique ensures beautifully defined edges for your ice cream sandwiches.

Step 4: Prepare your 8″ or 9″ square pan by lining its bottom and sides with parchment paper. Ensure the parchment extends beyond the edges to create convenient “handles” for easy removal later. Carefully place one of your perfectly cut puff pastry squares into the bottom of the prepared pan. This will serve as the base for your magnificent ice cream sandwich slab.

Step 1: To create the rich brown butter, combine the cubed butter and the optional (but highly recommended) milk powder in a small saucepan. Heat this mixture over medium-low heat. The butter will first melt, then begin to simmer and foam on the surface. Stir continuously during this phase to prevent the milk solids from burning at the bottom of the pan. As the mixture cooks, the white specks will gradually turn a beautiful golden-brown color, indicating the development of that signature nutty, caramelized flavor. It will foam up again when it’s ready, signaling peak flavor development. Immediately remove the browned butter from the heat to stop the cooking process and prevent it from burning.

Step 2: Immediately after removing the brown butter from the heat, carefully cut your vanilla bean in half lengthwise using a sharp knife. Scrape out the aromatic vanilla seeds with the back of the knife and add both the vanilla bean pod and seeds into the warm browned butter. Stir gently to ensure they are well coated and allow the vanilla to infuse. Let the butter mixture cool down until it is slightly warmer than room temperature – it should still be liquid but no longer hot, to avoid deflating your whipped cream later.

Step 3: In a well-chilled bowl (this helps the cream whip faster and hold its shape better) or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip your cold heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks. Stiff peaks mean that when you lift the whisk, the cream holds its shape firmly and doesn’t droop. Exercise caution here: it’s crucial not to overwhip the cream, as this can result in a grainy texture, which will negatively impact the smoothness of your finished ice cream.

Step 4: Gently fold the sweetened condensed milk and a pinch of sea salt into your whipped cream. Next, retrieve your brown butter mixture. Remove the vanilla bean pods, scraping any remaining vanilla seeds back into the butter, and discard the empty pods. Pour the cooled brown butter into the whipped cream mixture. Using a spatula, carefully fold all the ingredients together until just combined. Be gentle to maintain the volume of the whipped cream, ensuring your ice cream remains light and airy.

Step 5: Carefully transfer the rich brown butter ice cream mixture into the prepared baking pan, directly over the bottom puff pastry layer. Spread the ice cream evenly across the pastry, creating a smooth, uniform layer. Then, dollop spoonfuls of your wild blueberry jam (or jam of choice) strategically over the ice cream surface. Using a knife or a small spatula, gently swirl the jam into the ice cream, creating beautiful ribbons of berry goodness without fully mixing it in.

Step 6: The final touch for assembly! Carefully place the second piece of caramelized puff pastry on top of the ice cream layer, pressing down very gently to ensure it makes contact with the ice cream. Cover the top of the pan tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Transfer the pan to the freezer and allow it to freeze for a minimum of 3-4 hours, or until the ice cream filling is completely firm and set. Adequate freezing time is essential for easy slicing and perfectly structured sandwiches.

Step 7: Once the ice cream slab is thoroughly frozen, remove the pan from the freezer. Use the parchment paper handles to carefully lift the entire frozen slab out of the baking pan and place it onto a large, sturdy cutting board. For neat and clean slices, use a very sharp knife and a gentle sawing motion to cut the large slab into 6 equally sized ice cream sandwiches. For best results, clean your knife with warm water between cuts to prevent sticking and ensure a smooth finish.

Serve these delectable sandwiches immediately while they are still perfectly frozen. For convenient storage, you can wrap each individual sandwich tightly in wax paper or parchment paper. Then, transfer the wrapped sandwiches to an airtight bag or container and store them in the freezer. This method keeps them fresh and prevents freezer burn, allowing you to enjoy this gourmet treat whenever a craving strikes!

✔️ Expert Tips for Perfect Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches

1. Press the Puff Pastry with a Second Baking Sheet: This seemingly simple step is absolutely critical for achieving the ideal puff pastry base. Placing another baking sheet on top of the pastry as it bakes prevents it from puffing up too much, which can make it fragile and difficult to work with. Instead, it creates a denser, incredibly flaky, and sturdy base that can perfectly support the creamy ice cream filling without crumbling, giving you that delightful crunch every time.
2. Allow the Puff Pastry to Brown Thoroughly: Resist the urge to pull the pastry out of the oven too early. You want it to reach a deep golden-brown hue. This color indicates that the sugars on the pastry have caramelized, and the butter within the layers has toasted, developing a complex, slightly nutty, and intensely flavorful profile. This caramelization is what gives the pastry its ultimate crispness, allowing it to shatter beautifully in your mouth – a key textural component of these gourmet sandwiches.
3. Be Mindful Not to Overwhip the Heavy Cream: When whipping the heavy cream for your no-churn ice cream, stop as soon as it reaches stiff peaks. Overwhipping the cream past this stage will cause it to separate and become grainy, similar to how butter begins to form. A grainy cream will result in an ice cream filling that lacks the desired smooth, luxurious, and perfectly creamy texture. Pay close attention and whip just until the cream holds its shape firmly.
4. Cool Brown Butter Properly: Ensure your brown butter mixture cools sufficiently before folding it into the whipped cream. If the brown butter is too hot, it will melt the delicate whipped cream, deflating its volume and resulting in a less airy, denser ice cream. Aim for it to be slightly warmer than room temperature, still liquid but not hot to the touch.
5. Use a Serrated Knife for Slicing: After freezing, the ice cream sandwiches will be firm. A large serrated knife (like a bread knife) is your best tool for cutting them into individual portions. The sawing motion of a serrated blade will cut cleanly through both the crisp pastry and the frozen ice cream, preventing squishing and ensuring neat, attractive slices.

Can I use evaporated milk instead of sweetened condensed milk for the ice cream?

It is strongly advised against substituting evaporated milk for sweetened condensed milk in this no-churn ice cream recipe. Although their cans might appear similar, these are two entirely different dairy products. Sweetened condensed milk is uniquely thick and heavily sweetened, which is precisely what allows it to create a rich, smooth, and sweet ice cream without the need for an ice cream machine. It contains the sugar and consistency required to prevent ice crystals from forming. Evaporated milk, on the other hand, is unsweetened and much thinner, and will not yield the correct texture or sweetness for a successful no-churn ice cream.

Can I use Filo or Phyllo pastry instead of puff pastry?

I do not recommend using phyllo pastry as a substitute for puff pastry in these ice cream sandwiches. Phyllo is notoriously delicate and flakes apart even more easily than puff pastry, particularly when frozen and bitten into. This inherent fragility means your ice cream sandwich would be much more prone to falling apart in your hand, making it a messy and less enjoyable experience. The sturdier, yet still flaky, layers of caramelized puff pastry are essential for holding the sandwich together while providing that satisfying crunch.

Can I omit the jam or use a different jam?

Absolutely, you have full flexibility here! You can certainly choose to omit the wild blueberry jam altogether if you prefer a pure brown butter vanilla bean ice cream experience. Alternatively, feel free to experiment with a different fruit jam that you enjoy, such as raspberry, cherry, or apricot. For an even more decadent twist, you could swirl in a fruit curd like lemon or passionfruit curd. The recipe is versatile, and the ice cream sandwiches will be delicious either way, whether with or without the jam, or with a jam of your choice.

Can I make this recipe without milk powder?

Yes, you can make the brown butter ice cream without milk powder. The milk powder is an optional ingredient that enhances the depth of the brown butter flavor by adding more milk solids to caramelize. If you choose to omit it, your brown butter will still be delicious and nutty, though perhaps slightly less intense in flavor. The overall texture and quality of the no-churn ice cream will not be significantly impacted by its absence, so feel free to proceed if you don’t have it on hand.

These homemade ice cream sandwiches have a crisp, caramelized puff pastry outside, and a no churn brown butter ice cream in the center. I also swirled in some wild blueberry jam for a gooey berry touch. These ice cream sandwiches are super crisp to bite into and the brown butter ice cream has a creamy, caramelized, vanilla bean flavor. These ice cream sandwiches are inspired by the French dessert mille feuille, also known as Napoleon cake.

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Equipment

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  electric mixer
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  parchment paper
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  2 Cookie sheet

Ingredients

  

Instructions