Chocolate Almond “Soft Serve” Ice Cream

A quick diversion from Flatbread Mania, for frozen treats!

In yet another case of “ice cream” without an ice cream maker, I present to you: Chocolate Almond Soft Serve.

You may remember my discovery of the Coconut Banana “Soft Serve” that changed my life, or at least my dessert-related snacking.  Well, I thought I needed a chocolate variation — and this may be my new favourite.  Even though it still uses the frozen banana as its base, it doesn’t taste banana-y, or near as banana-y as the Coconut Banana version.

Chocolate Almond “Soft-Serve” Ice Cream

Recipe adapted from Gena’s Banana Soft Serve (at Choosing Raw).

• 1 frozen banana, broken into thirds
• 1 heaping Tbsp. cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. cashew almond butter (any nut butter would work)
• up to 1/4 c. milk (skim, rice, soy, almond, etc.)

Place frozen banana, cocoa powder, and nut butter in a food processor with a dash of milk.  Blitz until the banana turns to soft-serve ice-cream texture (about 15-30 seconds).  You will probably need to add the extra skim milk if the banana still appears ‘chunky’.  Eat quickly, because it will melt quickly!

And in interesting developments… I just read a similar recipe in a Jamie magazine, where he blended the frozen fruit, then popped it back in the freezer in a freezer-safe dish, so it could be a more solid consistency for serving to company — closer to real ice cream, gelato, or sorbet.  I’m thinking I need to try this with ginger and something fruity…