Waiting For My Brilliant Career

If there are two things that cause me to salivate most, they are cookies and gelato. The utter elation I feel upon entering or let alone catching sight of a gelateria is unmatched. Extreme is one’s passion, that at one point I even considered becoming a gelato taste-tester, I’m serious. There’s no question about it, the girl loves her cookies and gelato.

Such was my fanciful childhood ambition that even to this day, I will go around telling people that if my career in communications were to go bust, my plan-B was to be a gelato taste-tester. Oh to be that valiant soul who would taste every new flavour of gelato before it is let loose on an unsuspecting public. This was to be my noble cause, until I hit a slight snag when I couldn’t find job listings for “Gelato Taste-Tester” on seek.com.

So if anyone is indeed searching for that fearless individual to try all manner of gelato flavours, I am here waiting for the call. In the meantime I make do with my Giant Espresso Cookie Gelato Sandwiches. Here, the genius behind taking two pieces of bread and filling it with something is elevated to another level with the amalgamation of cookies and gelato in these gigantic dessert sandwiches.

I used the Espresso Gelato recipe from The Ultimate Frozen Dessert Book, but store bought gelato is just as good. Quite literally these sandwiches take two full fists to eat and there is no respectable way of eating them. If you are eating them correctly, it is certain you will end up with crumbs strewn across your face and gelato dripping down your to your elbows. This is not a dessert recommended for a first date or dinner with the queen. It is more appropriate for those times you are able to freely indulge your “inner Nigella” and enthusiastically shove mouthfuls of the stuff down your throat.

Giant Espresso Cookies
(makes around 10 cookies)

½ cup butter
1 cup soft brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
2 tbsp espresso powder
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 180°C.
Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and vanilla and beat thoroughly.
Then incorporate all of the dry ingredients, in four additions, ensuring that dough is mixed well.
Using a mechanical ice cream scoop, scoop out dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake cookies for about 8 minutes.
Cool them on a wire rack.

When cookies are cooled, fill two cookies with gelato flavour of your choice. Press the cookies together until gelato spreads to the edges. Enjoy!!

NOTE: I suggest not baking the cookies for too long keeping them fairly soft in the middle as when you add the gelato its coldness will help harden the cookies.