Almond Dark Chocolate Nice Cream

You only need 3 ingredients to make this delicious sweet treat, sure to satisfy your ice cream cravings.

Ice cream? Nice cream!

It’s officially ice cream season I call. Even though the weather doesn't seem like it. Rainy days galore in the last couple of weeks here in Austria. So what better way to bring in the sunshine than with the ultimate summer treat. And this secretly healthy ice cream full of flavour is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth all season long.

So what makes this treat secretly healthy? Instead of heavy cream and milk, ripe bananas are used as a base. Using this nutrient-dense fruit adds some complex carbs into this sweet treat and saves on sugar.  

How to make this no-churn nice cream

To make this delicious nice cream you don’t need a fancy ice cream maker. All you need is a high-speed blender and a freezer. Just follow these easy steps and get rewarded with a healthy sweet treat perfect for summer:

1. Slice up bananas and distribute them evenly into a zip loc bag. Freeze them for about 4 hours or until frozen solid.
2. Transfer frozen bananas to a blender or food processor and add almond butter. Blend the ingredients until they form a thick purée. Scrape the mixture down with a spatula or spoon occasionally to help the blending process.
3. Fold in chopped dark chocolate and pour into a lined loaf pan. Put in the freezer for about 2 hours or until the desired consistency is reached.
4. Top with chopped almonds and dark chocolate for some extra crunch.

Tips and variations for this recipe

• Use ripe bananas - They provide enough natural sweetness without using any additional sugar. Let them sit for a couple of days until the skin is slightly browned before making the nice cream.
• Freeze in an even layer - Use a zip loc bag big enough, so you can put in the banana slices without them overlapping. This makes it easier when blending so the banana slices don’t stick together forming a block, which is much harder to blend.
• Blend in a high-speed appliance - To get a smooth nice cream, it’s best to use a high-speed blender or food processor. They are strong enough to blend frozen foods without getting damaged.
• Scrape down the sides - When blending the bananas, scrape down the sides with a spatula or spoon occasionally to help the blending process.
• Try a different nut butter - You can use a different nut butter like cashew, peanut or pistachio in this recipe. Whatever nut you fancy most, makes the best add-in.
• Add the chocolate of your choice - This is also true for the chocolate. In this recipe, I used 75% dark chocolate but you could also substitute for milk chocolate or an even darker one, depending on your taste. Be aware though, that using a different kind of chocolate changes the sweetness of the nice cream and also the nutrition value.
• Prepare ahead and have on hand - This nice cream is a crowd-pleaser that you can make ahead and store in the freezer until it’s ready to serve.

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Nutritional values are estimates only calculated with the recipe calorie and nutrition calculator provided by verywellfit.com. The author of this website is not a nutritionist nor a doctor. All nutritional data provided in the recipes and correspondent blog posts are for informational purposes only. Do not use the information as nutritional or medical advice.