Today I share my super simple DIY magic chocolate sauce swirled over top vanilla bean nice cream. Vanilla meets chocolate. Ying and yang. Richness and simplicity. Your whole family will love this one.
And this insanely yummy dessert is actually pretty darn good for you! Grab a big bowl and curl up to this treat at the end of a long day...
Childhood flashback. This bowl reminded me of a memory. I could see my sister and I huddled in the kitchen, digging our fists into a carton of vanilla bean ice cream to scoop out perfectly soft and melty scoops. We filled our cereal bowls with ice cream then grabbed the store-bought chocolate syrup from the fridge (I think we used Hershey's and a few others..) and doused the silky white hills with the dark chocolate syrup, all shiny and slick, pouring out in perfect swirls and swooshes.
This memorable black and white ice cream bowl dessert was a go-to after dinner treat (and sometimes before dinner treat) in our house.
And I mean seriously, my sister and I were kind of ice cream fanatics. If there was an ice cream lover's anonymous for kids, we should have been there. I can fondly remember eating pastel green mint chip ice cream for breakfast, out of big cereal bowls, while watching Saturday morning cartoons. Not sure how we snuck that by mom and dad, but repeatedly, we did.
(Thank goodness for amazing vegan ice cream and nice cream!)
So this dairy-free version reminds me exactly of those memories! Minus the overload of refined sugar, dairy fat and artificially flavored chocolate sauce.
Just writing this I am already craving a big bowl again..! Hope you give this duo a try.
Chocolate Sauce. Two Ways. I did two versions. One with cocoa powder for a classic chocolate sauce flavor. Then one with carob powder for when I do not want to add any caffeine to my dessert. Plus, I really do love the flavor of carob -- and I know a few of you do too! This carob cake was also crazy delicious.
How to Use the Sauce. These sauces are perfect for adding on top of banana nice cream, or pancakes, waffles, crepes or even oatmeal. Or try peanut butter toast with chocolate sauce and strawberries! You could even make "chocolate milk" using some non-dairy milk and a brisk stir of sauce. Wait, is it sauce or syrup? Hm.
The recipe below is for the chocolate sauce. For the Banana Nice Cream I use this basic recipe here, and just added in some vanilla flavor. I actually had a vanilla bean paste that has little black specks of pod. A real vanilla bean is even better. And a tiny splash of vanilla extract works too. I use about a ⅛ teaspoon for every 3-4 cups of nice cream.
Vegan Magic Chocolate Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, softened
- ⅔ cup non-dairy milk, room temperature or slightly warmed
- ⅓ cup cacao powder or carob powder
- ¼ cup agave syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon pink salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (or real vanilla bean paste)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a squirt bottle or mason jar for storage.
- NOTE: Upon chilling, the carob version softens up very quickly -- just run the bottle under hot water for a few seconds. For the cacao version, you will need a bit more time to soften since it gets thick in the fridge. You could also warm in the microwave to soften.
Misha says
These sauces look amazing! Thank you for creating and sharing. 🙂 How long do they last in the fridge?
Alejandra Miche says
Could I sub the coconut oil for other kind of oil?
Kathy Patalsky says
The coconut oil has a special thickening when chilled property that makes it pretty important
Ella Stevenson says
can you use maple syrup instead of agave? and im confused. do you store the chocolate sauce in the fridge or cupboard?? and should i use cacao or carob? sorry
Kathy Patalsky says
You can use maple. You store in the fridge but to serve you will need to warm to room temperature a bit. You can use carob for the Carob sauce version and cacao for the other version -- I have two versions just in case you are avoiding caffeine.
You can't just sub carob for cacao bc carob is sweeter than cacao. Hope that helps!
gittie says
Which vanilla bean powder do you use?
Kathy Patalsky says
I use a brand from my local natural store. I am actually all out right now and forget the name! But there are several on Amazon that look good. One by Bakto.. You just want it to be sugar free.. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002C98W4S/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_a_it?qid=1460995252&sr=8-1&keywords=sugar+free+vanilla+bean+paste&pi=SY200_QL40
Giulia Lombardo says
lovely recipe and I am sure it is delicious....thanks to your recipes:D!
Kathy Patalsky says
thanks Giulia!
RockMyVeganSocks says
Super awesome!!!! LOVE these. What a great way to gussy up banana nice cream. And I'm totally digging your cute, short videos. Especially when you share tips with us (like how to get the cool drippings on the inside of a glass!!!)
Kathy Patalsky says
Yup exactly.. I mean banana ice cream is awesome but it definitely needs some chocolate sauce once in a while 🙂 Glad you like the videos!!! I love making them!
Monica says
Kathy, any suggestions on the best milk to use--would homemade almond milk or Silk soy be better?
Kathy Patalsky says
I used store bought almond milk and I think a store bought version would be best since they usually have ingredients to prevent separation. But I'm sure either will work. Just not sure if homemade almond milk would thicken up too much. Sometimes my almond milk separates in the fridge.