Dark Cocoa Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches / August 23, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Dark Cocoa Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches | Dolly and Oatmeal

the mid-90s were for many things, mood rings, discmans, flannels tied around your waist, etc.,etc. but they were also for waffles and ice cream! i can't tell you how many birthday parties i attended that served them in lieu of cake, or for breakfast if it was a sleepover birthday. i was never really a big fan of ice cream cones, so the idea of a soft, warm waffle topped with melty ice cream was my dream. there were always toppings too: whipped cream, chocolate chips, hot fudge, nuts, etc. but i remember sticking to a generic version with maybe some sprinkles.

truth is, ice cream cones still are not my favorite vessel to eat ice cream out of. i much prefer a bowl of ice cream, or it sandwiches between two cookies, or in this case - waffles! yes, i'm bringing back my memories of waffles and ice cream, but i'm upgrading your waffle situation and offering you a dairy free ice cream instead - because there's an ice cream for that!

these waffles are my absolute favorite! they have a deep dark chocolate flavor, not overly sweet; and soft, but crisp enough to cradle the ice cream perfectly. and they're best served with this luscious dairy-free ice cream from Häaagen- Dazs. I grew up on Häaagen- Dazs, my parents never bought any other brands, ever. there were 2 flavors in our freezer at all times: chocolate-chocolate chip (for my dad and me), and vanilla swiss almond (for my mom and brother). and i imagine that the world is a happier place now that that they have a dairy-free line of ice creams including: coconut caramel, peanut butter chocolate fudge, and the one i'm using here: chocolate salted fudge truffle. this is the kind of ice cream i love to indulge in once in a while, it's rich, and velvety, just like traditional ice cream. and these sandwiches are the perfect treat to close out the summer with. i like making them ahead of time and freezing them for optimal coldness on these hot august days. i also love that they're portable - take them to picnic (and eat within a reasonable amount of time), a sweet snack for your kids, a late-night treat for your ice cream loving husband ;) . these delicious sandwiches know no bounds! and to save $2 when you buy 3 Häagen-Dazs or other participating Nestlé ice cream brands, click here for a coupon :)

happy last few weeks of summer, friends! xo!

this post was created in partnership with Häaagen- Dazs.. all opinions as always are my own. thank you for supporting the sponsors that help keep dolly and oatmeal going!

Dark cocoa waffle ice cream sandwiches | gf & df

i like making the waffles ahead of time, keeping them in the fridge or freezer, and having them on-hand when we're need of a little summer treat.
you could also assemble the sandwiches ahead of time and freeze them (as directed in the instructions below) for up to 1 week.

PRINT THE RECIPE!

| makes roughly 8 large waffles and 14-16 sandwiches |

1 cup fine brown rice flour
1/2 cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened almond milk, at room temperature
2 pasture raised eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup melted unrefined coconut oil, plus more for waffle iron
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
two 14-ounce containers Häaagen- Dazs.Chocolate Salted Fudge Truffle Non-Dairy ice cream

method

preheat your waffle iron.
in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cacao powder (or cocoa powder), sugar, baking soda, and salt, breaking up any clumps. in a separate bowl, whisk together the almond milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla until combined. whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until combined (batter will be a little lumpy, that's ok!)
brush your iron lightly with some coconut oil. pour a heaping 1/4 cup of batter into the center. use the back of the measuring cup to spread the batter out a bit, covering most of the waffle iron. cook according to the manufacturers instructions until slightly crisp. remove the waffle and let it cool, repeat with the remaining batter.
to assemble. remove the ice cream from your freezer, and let it sit out for about 10 minutes to soften a bit (this depends on how warm your kitchen is). cut the waffles into fourths and lay them out on a clean work surface.
take one waffle piece and scoop 2-3 portions of ice cream on it, top with the other half of waffle to make a sandwich. repeat with remaining waffles and ice cream.
eat immediately, or store in an air tight container, lined with parchment paper (this prevents them from sticking to the container) in your freezer for up to 1 week.

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A Dinosaur Cake For Amesy's 1st Birthday! / October 5, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

baby-friendly dinosaur "smash" cake | dolly and oatmeal

we celebrated amesy's 1st with confetti balloons, a little taco and guac spread, our dear family, a couple of birthday portraits, and some dinosaur cake! i had planned his birthday a bit more elaborately in my head months back. but it turns out all he needed was some balloons, tickles and love from his fam, and some smash-friendly cake. i know i mentioned that i was going to try and make his cake in the shape of an actual dinosaur. clearly that didn't happen. because as it turns out, i'm not a magician, nor am i that talented in the cake decorating/intricate icing department. i'm reaaaaally good at complicating situations so i took a step back from the endless cake scenarios playing out in my mind and thought about ames, and what he might like. he's a pretty easy going babe, so a simple, easy-peasy mini cake, some cookie "dirt", and a plastic dinosaur on top was going to be perfect for him. i'm not sure whether he enjoyed the happy birthday song, the smashing part, or the actual eating of the cake more, but he definitely had fun at his little party :)

at one point when frank and i were setting up amesy's party, i was kind of struck with this profound parent-y feeling. i've been at parties, helped set them up, thrown shindigs for friends, etc. but it was different and so, so special making a little party for him that it kind of surprised me a bit by how much it struck me. i didn't think being a mom would change in any way. and to a certain degree i'm exactly who i was, but being a mama to ames is the very best feeling i've ever felt and could ever feel. it's similar to how i would feel every christmas morning when i was a kid, i'm just so excited to spend the day with him and see how he takes in his young world.

anywho, let's talk cake. this baby cake is grain free and a made with almond and cassava flour. it's sweetened with banana puree, some coconut sugar (which is completely refined sugar free), and a few drops of stevia. the frosting/whip is just straight up coconut fat from a can of refrigerated coconut milk with a few drops of stevia (not that i think he would have noticed if it weren't sweetened). i chose the ingredients carefully here because i wanted it to be cakey and enjoyable as a sweet treat for ames, but i also didn't want his blood sugar sky-rocketing out of control. and judging by amesy's reaction, i think i found a really great balance of both with this cake. yay! and it's even good for adults too! my dad and brother ate their fair share ;)

peace & love. xo!

baby-friendly dinosaur "smash" cake | gf/df/grain free/refined sugar free

i know cassava flour is hard to come by in some areas, and quite expensive. while i haven't tried it, arrowroot powder would probably make a great substitute.

| makes one 3-tiered, 3-inch layer cake |

1 1/4 cups almond flour
1/2 cup cassava flour
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup cacao powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup banana puree (roughly 2 bananas)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, room temp
1/2 cup liquid coconut oil
2 pasture raised eggs, room temp
4-6 drops liquid stevia
1 cup ground chocolate cookies (i like these or a homemade version), for "dirt"
dinosaur figurines

frosting

1 can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated for at least 24 hours
4 drops liquid stevia

adult-friendly chocolate dinosaur cake

this recipe, substituting the olive oil for coconut oil

frosting

1 cup non-hydrogenated palm shortening
1 cup powdered coconut sugar (i followed ashlae's recipe here, and used 1 cup coconut sugar, and 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder)
1/4 cup cacao powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk

method

preheat oven to 350°F, and grease and line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with at least 2-inch sides.
in a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cassava flour, coconut sugar, cacao, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
in another large bowl, whisk together the banana puree, milk, oil, eggs, and stevia.
mix the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until combined. pour the batter into the cake pan tilting it to get the batter evenly dispersed. bake in the center of your oven for 30-35 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick come out clean.
place the cake on a rack to cool. once the cake is completely cool invert it onto a piece of cling wrap. refrigerate the cake for at least 5 hours, or overnight.
use a 3-inch round biscuit cutter to cut three layers out of the cake. (there will be quite a bit of cake remnants. i used small cookie cutters to make bite-size cakes for amesy's cousin and other guests.)
make the coconut whip. turn the coconut milk can upside down and open it from the bottom. pour out the coconut water (you can reserve it for smoothies, etc.) and scoop the coconut fat from the can into a bowl. using an electric mixer on medium speed, mix the whip until it's fluffy. add the stevia and mix again. cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until you're ready to use it.
use an offset spatula to frost the top of one cake layer, add the other top and add the same amount of coconut whip, add the last layer and frost the top and sides with a thin layer of whip. refrigerate for roughly 30 minutes, and then frost with another layer (a second layer isn't totally essential, but because the cake is chocolate, the coconut whip will turn slightly brown with one layer if it's sitting long enough.) add cookie crumbs to the bottom of the cake and little on top. plop a dinosaur on top, and let the smashing begin.
large chocolate dinosaur cake
follow the method here, but instead of using a bundt pan, grease and line two. 6-inch round cake pans, and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
bake the layers until the a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean, about 35-38 minutes. let the layers cool completely. wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight.
make the frosting. add the shortening to a large bowl. sift in the powdered coconut sugar and cacao; add the vanilla and milk. mix together using an electric mixer on medium low until the frosting is fluffy and creamy.
frost the top of one layer, then place the other layer on top. frost the tops and sides with a thin layer to coat it. refrigerate for 30 minutes, then frost the top and sides again in a final, thicker layer. add the cookie crumbs to the bottom of the cake, and make little mounds on top of the cake. decorate with dinosaurs, and slice and serve the cake.