Ice cream sandwiches

MAKES 8 PREPARATION: 15 MIN CHILLING: 2 HRS COOKING: 8 MIN

200g butter, melted

250ml (1c) castor sugar

2 eggs

5ml (1t) vanilla essence

250ml (1c) flour

125ml (½c) cocoa powder pinch of salt

2L (8c) ice cream, slightly soft berries to serve (optional) fresh mint to garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line two baking sheets with baking paper. Line a 25 x 38cm baking pan with clingfilm.

1 Mix the melted butter and castor sugar in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla essence.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt over and whisk until smooth.

2 Spread the batter evenly on the baking sheets using a spatula. Bake for 8 minutes or until the cake is dry to the touch. Leave the cake sheets to cool completely.

3 Transfer the ice cream to the baking pan lined with clingfilm and level with a spatula. Freeze for an hour, or until the ice cream has hardened.

4 Trim the cake to fit the baking pan with the ice cream. Place a cooled cake sheet over the ice cream and turn the pan over onto a flat plate. Remove the pan and place the other cake sheet on top of the ice cream. Transfer back into the baking pan and freeze for an hour until firm. Remove from the freezer and cut into squares. Top with berries and mint, if using.