Classic Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream in a paper, rectangle container

Directions

1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Slick the bottom of a jelly roll pan with butter, then press in parchment with extra paper draping past the edges; that little swipe of butter keeps the paper from sliding around while you smooth in the batter. You want a pan in the neighborhood of 15x11, with a little wiggle room either way.
2. Whisk the flour with the baking powder in a small bowl, then keep it nearby.
3. Set a medium saucepan over low heat and add the butter, chocolate, vanilla, and salt. Stir the whole time as everything melts slowly; when the mixture is smooth, pull the pan off the heat.
4. Mix the brown sugar and white sugar into the warm chocolate. Stir in the eggs 1 at a time, making sure each is incorporated before the next, then fold through the flour mixture.
5. Scrape the batter onto the prepared baking sheet. With an offset spatula or a regular spatula, coax it into a thin, level sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. It is done when the brownie has risen slightly and the surface no longer looks wet.
6. Let the brownie cool all the way. Use the parchment overhang to lift it from the pan, and move it onto a large cutting board. With a ruler, neaten the edges by cutting away about 1/4 of an inch from each side. Measure the trimmed rectangle, then mark and slice 6 lengthwise strips with a long knife, keeping them equal; each piece should land around 2 to 2 1/2 inches wide. Find the midpoint of the long pieces with the ruler, and cut across there. You should now have 12 slim brownie rectangles. Slide an offset spatula or knife between a rectangle and the parchment to loosen it. Stack 1 brownie briefly over its partner so you can check that the top and bottom match, trimming if you need to, then return the top piece to its spot. Pick up the parchment and move the brownies out of the way.
7. Lay out a piece of plastic wrap. Take the 1/2-gallon of ice cream from the freezer. Open or peel away the cardboard container, either by unfolding the carton or taking off the lid. Make a T-shaped cut through the carton, then cut along the base so the ice cream can come free onto a cutting board. Cut the block lengthwise into 1-inch thick slabs, handling 1 slab at a time. Set the slab on a cutting board; it will be larger than the brownie. Lay 1 brownie over the ice cream, then trim the ice cream until it matches. Pick up the brownie and ice cream together, set them on the plastic wrap with the brownie facing down, and cap the ice cream with the matching brownie. Wrap the sandwich in plastic wrap. Continue the same way until every sandwich is assembled and wrapped, then freeze them until you want them.
8. There will likely be extra ice cream; spoon the remainder into a freezer-safe container and freeze it for another day.