Dennis Prescott

I love summer food. Well, let’s be honest, I just love summer. All things summer. Food, patio hang outs, the beach, flip-flops, not wearing socks, the sun being out past 4pm, etc etc etc. And being located on the east coast of the Great White North, we have a short summer, and an even shorter local harvest season.

We spend half the year eating comforting, soul warming food. Delicious? Yes. But I can’t handle waiting 6 months to get back to eating the things that I love. I’m the crazy Canadian who you’ll find grilled outside in a snowstorm. I’m the guy who earlier this year had a ‘summer’ party, heat cranked in the house, and frozen margarita in hand. And I’m the guy who has never yet said no to an ice cream sandwich.

This weekend, houses all across this great nation will be eating their weight in ‘Cream Eggs’. We all know my love affair with eggs, and these are no exception – so. unreal. good.

Here’s a recipe combining my love of all things sunshine, the arrival of the giant chocolate peddling bunny, and comfort food to make ya have the feeling you’ve been missing.

Cream Egg Ice Cream Sandwiches

Makes 6 – 8 cookies (depending on cookie size)

16 of your favourite cookies

1 1/4 cups whipping cream

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean

4 large free range egg yolks

12 mini cream eggs, diced

Combine your milk, cream, and sugar in a saucepan. Split your vanilla bean down the middle, and scrap out all of seeds, adding them to the pan. Throw in your vanilla pod, stir well, and heat the milk over medium until bubbles start to form around the edges of the milk mixture (and your sugar dissolves). Remove the vanilla pod.

Place your egg yolks in a large bowl, and whisk together until creamy (3-4 minutes). Slowly drizzle in a about a tablespoon of milk at a time, while constantly whisking, to start to temper your eggs. Once the eggs have loosened and tempered, whisk in the remainder of your milk.

Pour the custard back into the saucepan. While constantly whisking with a wooden spoon, allow the custard to thicken until it coats the back of a wooden spoon (8 minutes, or so). Run through a sieve into a bowl to remove any lumps, and cover with cling wrap, placing the wrap directly on the custard, to stop a skin forming.

Place in the fridge overnight.

Run the custard through your ice cream maker according to the directions. When the ice cream is half way done, add your cream eggs. Place in the freezer for at least 4 hours to chill.

Make your ice cream sandwiches. Eat. Go crazy with food love. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.