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On August 17, 2012, at City Hall in Manhattan, we officially tied the knot. Then one month later, on September 15, we unofficially wed again (bicoastally, just like our business) in Los Angeles. Both occasions were overflowing with joy, love, and support and were so amazingly fun and magical that we’d have a wedding every month if we could. But what really took the cake was our Coolhaus Wedding Cake: a four-tiered sculpture of massive ice cream sandwiches for everyone to feast on. (Bottom tier: Oatmeal Raisin Cookie and Baked Apple Ice Cream; second tier: Vegan Ginger Molasses Cookie and Meyer Lemon Gelato; third tier: Double Chocolate Cookie and Dirty Mint Chip Ice Cream; top tier: Chocolate Chip Cookie and Tahitian Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.)

We both wore white summery dresses—Natasha went mod-style with crazy, Bauhaus-looking shoes. Freya wore a glammy dress she picked up in Paris.

The City Hall ceremony was intimate—just close family and friends, then we celebrated at one of our favorite restaurants, Vanessa’s Dumpling House in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. We were almost late to our own party because our cab driver didn’t know how to get there and wouldn’t go the “extra mile” to deliver two brides to their wedding day celebration! He left us and our two friends carrying all the gin and bourbon punch ingredients on our heads on the Bowery. We had to hitch another cab to get across the river.

The L.A. ceremony was at Natasha’s parents’ house and featured tequila bars and tacos—the perfect street-food answer to New York City’s dumplings.

We’re excited to share this recipe, because for us, our wedding was a celebration not only of our relationship but also of what we have achieved at Coolhaus.

 

Coolhaus Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Makes: One 8-inch cake; serves 6 to 8 | Active time: 1 hour 25 minutes

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Coat cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.

  2. Place half of cookie dough into each pan and press down to spread evenly.

  3. Bake for 25 minutes, or until edges are golden and center puffs up and no longer looks wet.

  4. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes.

  5. When completely cool, run a knife around edges and invert pans, tapping bottom of pans and shaking cookies out onto work surface.

  6. Remove ice cream from freezer and let soften, 5 to 10 minutes.

  7. Wipe 1 pan clean. Line interior circumference of pan with acetate cake strip or parchment paper strip.

  8. Fit 1 cookie into bottom of pan. Use an ice cream scoop and a rubber spatula to spread softened ice cream on top of cookie in pan.

  9. Top with remaining cookie, pressing it gently into ice cream to close any gaps and force out any air bubbles.

  10. Immediately place in freezer and freeze for at least 4 hours.

  11. Shake cake out of pan. Peel away cake strip before serving.

 

Coolhaus Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches

Makes about: 2 dozen mini ice cream sandwiches | Active time: 10 minutes

Everyone asks for mini ice cream sandwiches in our stores and at our trucks. We get the most inquiries from parents, especially for kids’ parties. In the interest of giving the people what they want, we started a promotion with Girl Scout Cookies, pairing our ice creams with Samoas, Thin Mints, and Tagalongs and selling them three at a time. They were a big (mini!) hit.

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees with a rack in the middle. Line a half-sheet baking pan with parchment paper.

  2. Using 2 teaspoons of dough for each cookie, make balls of dough. Set balls 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet.

  3. Bake for 8 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool.

  4. When cookies are completely cool, place 1 tablespoon ice cream on top of 1 cookie. Top with a second cookie, pressing down gently. Freeze for at least 15 minutes before serving.