When Life Gives You Leftover Hot Dog Buns, Load Them With Ice Cream
You just organized a fantastic dinner party but appeared to have been a little overzealous when stocking up on ingredients meant for the grill. Not to fear, there's a way you can repurpose any excess hot dog buns and lobster rolls: By turning them into dessert. With a simple swipe of butter, those pieces of bread can be toasted to golden, crunchy perfection before they become handy platforms for sweet creations to feed your friends. This is the kind of easy-to-make and quick-to-customize recipe that is ideal for large gatherings.
Top the buttery, grilled pieces with a simple cinnamon and sugar mix, or spoon homemade almond butter across one of the open faces. You now have the perfect foundation to build the ice cream treat of your dreams. Toasted hot dog boats can be loaded up with swipes of Nutella or drizzles of melted chocolate before scoops of coffee gelato are tucked into the fold. You can set out various ice creams and gelato flavors for guests to pick and choose from as they build their own desserts.
Backyard parties are about to get sweeter
Crown your ice-cream-filled creations with sweet garnishes you like your ice cream sundaes to feature. Caramel syrups, flaky sea salt, toasted nuts, handfuls of cereal, and grilled fruit are all fair game. Dollops of honey whipped cream-topped chocolate ice cream can be topped with Luxardo maraschino cherries and agave syrup, or the roasted strawberry and black pepper gelato you made from scratch can be elevated with spoonfuls of tahini, cocoa nibs, and powdery sprinkles of cacao or espresso powder.
The best part of offering these ice-cream-filled hot dog bun creations is that you don't need to plate these sweets in separate dishes. In fact, utensils aren't even necessary as the sandwiches can be easily held by hand and chomped down on, hot-dog-style. All you need to do is make sure you have clean napkins for your guests to place their cold sandwiches in. This same ice-cream sandwich-making technique can be replicated with hamburger buns, so if you do have leftovers after your cookout, remember to keep calm and keep dessert in mind.