GADGETS & GIZMOS

It took multiple batches of cookies and a few quarts of ice cream — not that we’re complaining — to get the hang of using Pampered Chef ’ s Ice Cream Sandwich Maker.

The threepiece set is designed to make baking, filling and freezing ice cream sandwiches easy. And it is. Sort of.

To use, fill each well with about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough using your recipe or one provided with the instructions, and bake. Cool the cookies in the pan, pop on the plastic frame, and top half of the cookies with about ½ cup of softened ice cream. Invert the

remaining pan of cookies on top and snap into place. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Our first batch came out with the ice cream on the outside of the cookies — a feat we’re still questioning the physics of — instead

of between them. And our second batch, though the ice cream was where it was supposed to be, didn’t release from the molds easily. But by the third batch (with some help from a Pampered Chef consultant) we had it down pat.

The secrets are to freeze the cookies before filling to ensure there’s no residual

heat left in the silicone baking pans (thanks for the tip, Brennan) and to trim the flash (baked batter that ran over the edge) from the cookies.

So why would you want to make ice cream sandwiches when they’re relatively inexpensive to buy? The flavor combinations. So far we’ve enjoyed coffee cookies filled with vanilla bean ice cream, chocolate cookies filled with chocolate- mint ice cream, chocolate cookies filled with black cherry ice cream and lemon cookies filled with strawberry ice cream.

For more information, visit tinyurl.com/yctjrzly The set is dishwasher safe. $20