Deconstructed Ice Cream Sandwich

Tonight I once again found myself bored and aimlessly wandering towards the kitchen, thinking about something sweet that I could nibble upon. Looking through the pantry I found some cookies, brownies, and chocolate bars, none of which really struck my fancy. The fridge yielded a variety of soy and dairy ice creams and ice cream snacks, but to similar results.

Dismayed I was about to look at pull up some recipes for inspiration, until I remembered a something I had read recently about a deconstructed caesar salad (all the rage in experimental gastronomy) and I had an idea: I will make a deconstructed ice cream sandwich.

For this recipe, I just used random dessert-y items that I had lying around my kitchen that I happen to like, but feel free to use anything — this is a dish that really appeals to the individual, so let your imagination run wild. This is a fun dish to make and something that can be easily whipped up in five minutes if you are looking for a quick fix, or become an involved process if you are striving for the truly unique.

Deconstructed Ice Cream Sandwich

Ingredients
Ice Cream Sandwich
Chocolate Sauce (for simplicity I used Smucker's Chocolate Topping)
Chopped Peanuts (I used dry roasted peanuts, but any will do)
Whipped Cream
Chocolate Bar (I used Endangered Species: Dark Chocolate with Espresso Beans)
Strawberry

Before you start I would but the ice cream bar in the coldest part of the fridge and leave it there until the last moment before you need it, because the colder it is the more likely the ice cream is to stay together as one solid piece (making it much easier to work with)

1. Heat up the chocolate sauce until it is a liquid and pour in onto a plate, forming a small pool slightly bigger that the ice cream bar. Place this in the fridge to cool for a few minutes.
2. Break a few good size chunks off of the chocolate bar. Finely shave one of them and set both the shavings and the remaining chunks to the side. (I choose a bar that was more than just chocolate to contrast with the pure chocolate 'cookie' of the ice cream sandwich, but feel free to use any type you like)
3. Hull the strawberry (or otherwise prepare which ever fruit you choose). Set aside
   
   
4. Remove the ice cream sandwich from the fridge and quickly peel off the cookie, placing it to the side. Try to take off both cookies, but if you can only remove one side that is okay too. (If you can remove neither without breaking the ice cream 'bar,' place the sandwich back in the fridge to cool move —perhaps try covering it with ice)
5. Place the ice cream onto the pool of chocolate sauce (if there is still is a cookie on one side, place that side down, so the ice cream side faces up.
   
6. Sprinkle the chocolate shavings and chopped nuts on top of the ice cream.
7. Shred the cookie that you removed from the sandwich and place it along one side of the ice cream.
8. On the opposite side of the ice cream piece place two dots of whipped cream. In one place the strawberry and the other the remaining chunks of chocolate.
9. Serve immediately.

NOTES:

• The ice cream sandwich will melt very quickly once out of the fridge, so work fast. Also the cookie tends to be very sticky, so be careful when you are removing it/placing it on the plate.
• The point of this recipe is to take a conventional favourite and make into something different yet have it still be recognizable as an ice cream sandwich (postmodern cooking). As such, choose any toppings that you like but try to use them sparingly or don't just heap them on.

SUGGESTIONS:

• Other garnishes that would be great include: shredded coconut, espresso beans, caramelised sugar, a fruit sauce, dusting of cinnamon, cocoa, or powdered sugar, or substituting the 'cookie' from the ice cream sandwich with another form of biscuit.
  
• If you to use a fruit sauce or coulis, but don't have one on hand, make your own. Try stirring jam and red wine on a low heat until a thick liquid and pour immediately.