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1
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line a 9 x 13 pan with aluminum foil, leaving at least a 1-inch foil overhang on the short ends of the pan. Coat the foil lightly with butter. Set pan aside.
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2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
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3
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until the milk solids on the bottom of the pan are deep golden brown. This will take about 5 minutes. The butter will be foamy and then start to clear when it is just about ready.
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4
Add the sugar and syrup to a large bowl. Pour the browned butter over top. Whisk to combine. The mixture won't be smooth, so don't be alarmed. Whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture just until blended.
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5
Transfer the dough to the buttered pan, and using a spatula, press it into an even layer.
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6
Bake until the cookie is golden brown around the edges and the sides just start to pull away from the pan, about 15 minutes. Don't overbake it. Otherwise your cookies will be crispy and not soft when frozen. When done, remove the pan from the oven and cool the cookie completely in the pan on a baking rack.
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7
Using the foil as an aid, lift the cooled cookie from the pan, and place it on your counter. Place a sheet of plastic wrap in the same pan, leaving an overhang on both short sides. Place another sheet of plastic crosswise in the pan, leaving an overhang on the long sides. With a long, sharp knife, cut the cookie in half horizontally. Place 1 cookie half, top side down, in the pan.
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8
Soften the ice cream slightly. You can do this in the microwave on high for about 15 seconds, just so it is just spreadable.
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With an offset spatula, spread the ice cream evenly over the cookie layer in the pan. Place the second cookie, top side up, on top of the ice cream. Press lightly to make sure the cookie adheres to the ice cream. Fold both pieces of plastic wrap over the cookie, and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
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10
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the ice cream filled cookie and discard the plastic. Using a sharp knife, cut the cookie in half lengthwise, then cut each strip into 4 ice cream sandwiches. Place the sandwiches on the baking sheet and return it to the freezer.
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11
Meanwhile, grate chocolate (the coarse side of a hand grater works well) over a piece of waxed paper. Transfer chocolate to a small metal bowl and set aside.
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12
Heat some water in a small saucepan to boiling (use a pan that the metal bowl that you have the chocolate in can fit inside of). Remove the pan of water from heat and place the bowl of chocolate atop the water, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
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13
Meanwhile, arrange decorations on small plates. Remove the baking sheet from the freezer, and working with one ice cream sandwich at a time, dip the ice cream sandwich into the melted chocolate, allowing excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Press the sandwich gently into the decorations on the plate. Return the ice cream sandwiches to the baking sheet and place it in the freezer until the chocolate sets, about 20 minutes. When chocolate is set, wrap each sandwich individually in waxed paper, then store in a ziploc freezer bag. These will keep several days in the freezer.
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14
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.
