These ice-cream sandwiches solve a common problem with frozen desserts: the layers should be firm enough to hold their shape while remaining easy to bite.

A soft blondie provides exactly that texture, while rosemary adds an aromatic edge to the sweet combination of vanilla ice cream and cherries.

What You’ll Need

- 150g salted butter, plus extra for greasing

- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs

- 180g light brown sugar

- 1 large egg

- 1½ tbsp whole milk

- 130g plain flour

- ¼ tsp salt

- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

- 1 litre vanilla ice cream

For the cherries:

- 150g cherries

- 30g caster sugar

- A squeeze of lemon juice

1. Brown The Butter

Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 23 x 33cm baking tin.

Put the butter and rosemary into a small saucepan and melt gently over a low heat. Continue cooking until the butter becomes foamy and fragrant and the milk solids turn golden brown. This browning gives the blondie a deeper, nuttier flavour.

Pour the butter into a bowl, remove the rosemary and leave the butter to cool to room temperature.

2. Make The Blondie Batter

Put the light brown sugar into a large bowl and stir in the cooled browned butter. Whisk in the egg until smooth, then add the milk.

Sift in the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda. Stir until you have a smooth batter with no dry patches.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it evenly. The layer will be quite thin, which helps it bake into a flexible base that can be frozen without becoming too hard.

3. Bake And Chill

Bake for 16–22 minutes, until the blondie is set around the edges and lightly crisp while remaining slightly soft in the centre.

Leave it to cool completely in the tin. Once cool, refrigerate for at least six hours, preferably overnight. Chilling firms the blondie enough to make assembling the sandwiches easier.

4. Cook The Cherries

Stone the cherries and cut them in half. Put them into a saucepan with the caster sugar and lemon juice.

Bring the mixture to the boil and cook for a few minutes, until the cherries soften and the juices become syrupy. Set aside and allow the fruit to cool completely.

5. Prepare The Ice Cream

Scoop the vanilla ice cream into a large bowl and leave it for a short time until soft enough to mix.

Gently fold in the cooled cherries and their syrup, keeping the mixture lightly marbled. Avoid overmixing so the cherry pieces and streaks of fruit remain visible.

6. Assemble The Sandwiches

Cut the chilled blondie in half widthways. Spread the softened cherry ice cream over one half, taking it all the way to the edges.

Carefully place the second blondie half on top. Wrap the whole slab tightly in cling film and freeze overnight, or until completely firm.

7. Slice And Serve

Unwrap the frozen blondie and trim the edges with a sharp utensil to create neat sides. Cut into 8 sandwiches. Serve immediately, or wrap each piece individually in baking paper and return them to the freezer for later.

The rosemary brings a subtle savoury aroma to the blondie, while the cherries add acidity and fruitiness to the rich vanilla filling. The result is a frozen dessert with contrasting textures: chewy blondie, creamy ice cream and soft pieces of cherry.