Black Forest Ice Cream Sundae
By Heather Pace of Sweetly Raw
This time of year I eat more than my fair share of ice cream. I mean, it’s the perfect way to satisfy my sweet tooth and cool down in the heat. Here, I’ve combined black forest cake and an ice cream sundae into one truly decadent summer treat. But not only that, this healthy dessert is plant-based and made up of whole foods.
I’ll also provide some short cuts along the way in case you’re short on time but still want to make it.
Let’s break it down. This sundae consists of chocolate cashew ice cream, saucey cherries, chocolate cake crumbles, coconut whipped cream, chocolate sauce, chocolate chunks, and a cherry on top. If you’re short on time, you can use store-bought ingredients in place of making certain components and combine them all for a delicious treat.
To make the chocolate ice cream, blend all the ingredients except the coconut oil in a blender until smooth. Add the oil and blend again to incorporate it. Transfer to a bowl and chill in the fridge overnight. When chilled (and slightly thickened), pour into an ice cream maker and process it according to the manufacturer's instructions. It will be soft so transfer it back to the fridge for a few hours to become scoopable.
For the chocolate cake crumbles, grind all of the ingredients to a crumbly texture in a food processor making sure the dates are broken down. For the cherries, add thawed frozen cherries and berries to a food processor with maple syrup and briefly process until chunky. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chia. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to thicken slightly.
For the chocolate sauce, you can choose one of two methods. The first is to blend all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth. The other method is to sift the cacao powder into a bowl, add the other ingredients, and wish together until smooth. For the whipped cream, scoop the cream out of a chilled can of coconut milk. Whip the cream and feel free to add maple syrup if you want a hint of sweetness.
To assemble the sundae, drizzle some chocolate sauce into a glass. Spoon some cake crumbles and then whipped cream on top. Add in some saucey cherries and then a few scoops of ice cream. Continue layering to the top of the glass. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate and place a cherry on top.
Enjoy!
Black Forest Ice Cream Sundae
Chocolate ice cream
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups raw cashews
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup cacao powder
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
Blend all but the coconut oil in a high-speed blender until very smooth. Add the oil and blend again to incorporate it. Transfer to a bowl and chill in the fridge overnight. When chilled (and slightly thickened), pour into an ice cream maker and process it according to the manufacturer's instructions. It will be soft so transfer it back to the fridge for a few hours to become scoopable.
Time saver: Use store-bought chocolate ice cream
Chocolate cake crumbles
1 cup walnuts
1/3 cup pitted packed dates, chopped
2 ½ tablespoons cacao powder
Grind all ingredients to a crumbly texture in a food processor making sure the dates are broken down.
Saucey Cherries
1 cup frozen cherries
½ cup frozen strawberries or more cherries
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 ½ teaspoons chia seeds
Thaw the cherries and berries. Add to a food processor with the maple syrup and briefly process until chunky. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chia. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to thicken slightly.
Time saver: Use chopped fresh or frozen/thawed cherries
Chocolate Sauce
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup cacao powder, or more
2 tablespoons almond butter
2 tablespoons warm water
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Method # 1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Method #2. Sift the cacao powder into a bowl. Add other ingredients and whisk together until smooth. Store in the fridge for up to one week.
Time saver: Use vegan chocolate hazelnut spread and warm it up until liquid.
Coconut Whipped Cream
1 can full fat coconut milk
Chill the can in the fridge overnight. Open the can and scoop out the thick cream. Use electric beaters to whip it in a bowl. Add a splash of maple syrup if desired.
Assembly
Drizzle some chocolate sauce into the glass. Spoon some cake crumbles and then whipped cream on top. Spoon in some saucey cherries and then a few scoops of ice cream. Continue layering to the top of the glass. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate and place a cherry on top.
