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Three ice cream sandwiches with a chocolate sponge and vanilla ice cream sitting on their sides on some baking parchment.
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Gelato Biscotto (Italian Ice Cream Sandwiches)

Gelato Biscotto, Italy's version of a classic ice cream sandwich. Made with a soft and chewy chocolate base, a simple no-churn ice cream filling and dipped in melted chocolate and hazelnuts. It's the ultimate summer treat and so easy to make at home! See the step by step photos below (use the camera toggle to turn them on and off).
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
freezing time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Modern Italian
Servings: 10 ice cream sandwiches
Author: Emily Wyper

Equipment

  • Baking parchment
  • Electric whisk
  • 15x10 inch Baking tray
  • Freezer proof dish
  • Clean kitchen towel

Ingredients

For the biscotto

  • 140 g (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter melted, plus extra for greasing
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 100 g (½ cup) brown sugar or light brown sugar
  • 105 g (½ cup) white sugar
  • 3 medium eggs
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 110 g (¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons) all purpose flour
  • 60 g unsweetened cocoa powder (⅔ cup, packed)

For the ice cream

  • 300 ml (1 and 1/4 cup) heavy cream (double cream)
  • 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk (200g/7oz)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

For dipping

  • 250 g (9oz) Dark chocolate melted (can also use milk choc)
  • 2-3 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a saucepan and let it cool. Preheat your oven to 180C/350F static.
    Two photos showing before and after mixing egg, sugar, butter and vanilla together in a bowl.
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix the melted butter, olive oil, vanilla, both sugars and eggs together with a hand whisk until well combined.
  • Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and add a pinch of salt, and whisk into the wet ingredients until it’s smooth with no lumps. The batter should be quite thick.
    Two photos showing sifting flour into a bowl and a thick chocolate batter.
  • Grease a baking tray (15x10 inch) with butter, then line it with baking parchment so the parchment doesn’t move. Spread the batter over the tray in an even and smooth layer.
    Two photos in a collage showing spreading out a cake batter in a tray and what it looks like fully baked.
  • Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover it with a clean kitchen towel and leave to cool completely.
  • Once cooled cut the cake in half then trim the edges to fit a 10 inch sized dish. Line the dish with plastic wrap and baking parchment, leaving enough overhang to wrap over the top.
  • Lay your first piece of cake on the bottom of the dish with the top side down.
  • Now make your ice cream. Put the heavy cream, condensed milk and vanilla in a bowl and whisk with an electric whisk to stiff peaks. Spread the ice cream in an even layer over the cake. Top with your second layer of cake then cover tightly with plastic wrap on top.
    Two photos showing how to layer ice cream sandwiches before freezing.
  • Freeze for at least 8 hours to overnight. Once frozen, trim the edges and cut into 10 ice cream sandwiches (or cut more or less to your own preference).

Optional decoration

  • Mix chopped hazelnuts with melted chocolate the dip half of the ice cream sandwiches into the chocolate leaving the remaining half uncovered (easier to hold).
    Two photos showing ice cream sandwiches cut into portions and being dipped in chocolate.

Notes

Storage - wrap the ice cream sandwiches well (individually is best) in parchment paper and plastic wrap, and store them in the freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 242mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 445mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 777IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 5mg
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