Sprinkle Star Sandwich Recipes

ICE CREAM SANDWICH STARS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place in the freezer. Working quickly and with one pint at a time, turn each pint of ice cream on its side and cut off the cardboard container. Starting with the wide end, slice off three or four 1/2-inch-thick rounds from each pint. Cut out stars from the ice cream using a 3 1/4-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, transferring the cutouts to the baking sheet in the freezer as you go. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours. (Transfer the ice cream trimmings to a resealable container and reserve for another use.)
• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter a rimmed 13-by-18-inch baking sheet and line with parchment paper; butter the parchment, dust with flour and tap out the excess.
• Stir the vanilla and red gel food coloring into the milk in a liquid measuring cup. Whisk the flour, malted milk powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Beat the butter, shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on low speed until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and beat, scraping down the bowl as needed, until just combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture, then gradually beat in the milk mixture. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until smooth.
• Spread the batter in the prepared pan and sprinkle with nonpareils. Bake on the upper oven rack until just set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan, then loosen the edges with a paring knife and turn out onto a cutting board; discard the parchment paper. Cut out 20 stars as close together as possible using the same star-shaped cookie cutter. Sandwich the ice cream between the cookies, pressing gently to adhere. Freeze until firm, 1 to 2 hours.

SPRINKLE STAR SANDWICH

Steps:

• Spread 1 piece of bread with the cream cheese.
• Use a mini star cookie cutter to cut out a star in the corner of the second piece of bread.
• Scatter the sprinkles over the cream cheese where the cut star will rest.
• Place the piece of bread with the star cutout over the sprinkles so the sprinkles show through. Use another bit of cream cheese to secure the cut-out bread star to the top of the sandwich, if desired.

LINZER STAR SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookie batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the butter until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and continue mixing until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, 5 to 8 minutes.
• In another bowl, combine and mix the flour, almonds, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Mix and roll the cookies: Because this dough has a good amount of butter, it needs resting time and it needs to be rolled fairly quickly. Lay three large pieces of wax paper in a single layer on a flat surface. Sprinkle each one with a light coating of flour. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, blend the flour mixture in with the butter. When the ingredients are fully integrated, place one third of the batter on each of the pieces of wax paper. Coat with another light layer of flour and top with another piece of wax paper of the same length to make three dough "sandwiches." Press these wax-paper-and-dough-sandwiches down with your hands until the dough is fairly thin. This will save a lot of time on rolling later on. Place two of them in the refrigerator and work with them one at a time. Roll the first batch into as neat a shape as possible. What matters most is avoiding creases or cracks and getting it to about 1/8 inch in thickness. When the first is rolled, refrigerate it and repeat the same process for the other two. Let them chill at least 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Make the cookie bottoms: Remove the first rolled sheet from the refrigerator and cut as many 1 1/2-inch stars (or rounds) as you can. Reserve the scraps in the refrigerator. Arrange the stars neatly in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with the other two sheets, reserving any scraps.
• Make the cookie tops: Cut a star, with the smaller cutter, out of the center of half of all the cookies. Roll the scraps in between two of the pieces of wax paper and cut additional stars, if desired.
• Bake and assemble the cookie sandwiches: Bake the cookies until they are lightly brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the trays from the oven and allow them to cool slightly on the trays for a few minutes before gently transferring them to a flat surface. P
• Place the raspberry jam in a small pot and bring it to a light simmer. Remove from the heat to cool slightly. Spoon 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam on each bottom and place a top star squarely on each. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

CHRISTMAS STARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir flour mixture into the butter mixture until well blended. Divide dough in half and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate dough for three hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper.
• On a floured surface, roll out half of the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut dough into star shapes using a 3- to 4-inch star cookie cutter. Using a 1- to 2-inch star cookie cutter, cut a star into the center of half of the big stars. Place the full stars on one cookie sheet and the "tops"--the cookies with the center cutouts--on another. Sprinkle colored sugar on the star tops, if desired.
• Bake in preheated oven until edges are golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Allow cookies to cool completely. (You can re-roll the mini stars cut out of the centers, or bake them separately for about 5 minutes.) Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
• After cookies cool completely, spread 1 teaspoon of preserves in the center of each full star cookie. Place a cut-out cookie on top of the layer of preserves. Pack cookies between waxed paper in a covered tin to preserve freshness.