Red Velvet Ice Cream Sandwich

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/4 cups of premium flour + extra for working with the dough
• 1.5 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
• Fine salt
• 90 g unsalted butter, softened
• 0.5 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 large yolk
• 1.5 tsp red food coloring
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups ice cream, such as vanilla, pecan, strawberry, chocolate, or pistachio

Preparation:

1. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and 1/8 teaspoon salt into a medium bowl.
   
   In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar at medium speed using the paddle attachment until the sugar is completely incorporated. Beat in the egg yolk. Stir in the food coloring and vanilla extract until the mixture is evenly colored, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
2. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the flour mixture. Beat just until all the flour is incorporated. Form the dough into two 2.5 cm thick disks, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 175°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Lightly flour a sheet of parchment paper. Unroll one disk of dough, place it on the paper, and cover with a large piece of plastic wrap. Roll the dough out to a thickness of 0.3 cm. Remove the plastic wrap and, using a 6 cm round cookie cutter, cut out circles from the dough. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2.5 cm apart (about 12 cookies per baking sheet).
5. Gather the scraps, refrigerate the dough to set, and then roll and cut out the cookies again. Repeat with the remaining disk of dough.
6. Bake the cookies until they're brick-red and set, 8-10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Let them cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a 6-cm round cookie cutter on the parchment and spoon 1/4 cup of ice cream into it. Smooth the surface and remove the ring. Repeat with the remaining ice cream to make 12-14 evenly spaced balls of ice cream. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
8. Place 1 scoop of ice cream on 1 cookie and top with another cookie. Trim any rough edges of the ice cream. Repeat with the remaining cookies and ice cream. Freeze the sandwiches for at least 4 hours or overnight.