This is how I got through the (horrific) run up to our wedding: the best chocolate nice-cream. In fact it is so good it has (nearly) made it better.
As we speak our wedding day is in the past, hopefully it was wonderful, that Dan was happy and not too ill, that everyone enjoyed themselves, and it all went smoothly, without me falling over, or kissing every single guest goodbye and saying the word lovely too much, or crying, or spilling something on my dress, or any other of the other thousands of things that could go wrong. Let’s face it, the worst thing has already happened, I’m ill, and it’s in the post for Dan.
I have the cold virus from hell, days from lift off, which has now gone down to my chest. I have an ear infection in both ears and a temperature, I feel and look dreadful. I’m on strong antibiotics as of today, something I avoid as they strip your gut flora, and as a coeliac this is especially bad news. I can’t remember any of the things I ought to be doing to make the day a success, my brain has gone number than normal, which is saying something. I have heart palpitations. I’m a wreck. As a type 1 diabetic, and a very sensitive one to boot, viruses make me especially unwell, my blood glucose levels are coma high, and rising. I’ve spent the last few days (is it a week, I can’t remember, I think it’s a week…) with an exploding face of germs and tissue wads stuffed up my nose, and then an itchy cough so shockingly awful I woke up in the middle of the night unable to breathe and thought I was dying. It’s bad. This should be when I am looking and feeling my best, the photo’s to treasure of our happiest day, the sun shining (out of my…), the conversation flowing… not my chest rattling, my face flaking, and feeling like I’m about to collapse… not unable to string a sentence together.. not unable to enjoy those precious moments…
I don’t want the zombie bride look, Night of the Living Dead is a fantastic film but we’re not nut-job enthusiasts! I’ve already been a bit wacky with what I’m going to wear (think silver sparkly platform sandals, and an ivory silk All Saints dress from eBay that though I do really like I must admit is rocking the inside out Edwardian undergarment look…). Mum keeps trying to get me to wear tights because she’s so horrified at my short dress, or my legs, or both…
AAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!
Now you can see why at the right moment creating the best chocolate nice-cream (better than any ice-cream) I’ve ever had, and also equally amazing as a chocolate pudding, was a really good thing. It isn’t what I’d generally recommend for the sick, but it made me feel half human and for that I’m eternally grateful. Just when my taste buds are making a comeback (don’t worry I have had a second opinion on how amazing this nice-cream is from Dan, who is pretty particular, and now my competition for the rest of the tub, she says stuffing it into her face…).
The nice-cream really doesn’t taste of banana at all, the pudding slightly more so, but in a really gorgeous, silky smooth, rich, perfect chocolatey way…
Add cacao nibs for extra crunch…
Here’s to love, family and friends, to enjoying life and stoically making the most of things (no matter what happens). And to chocolate (and the important role that plays in the above!) ♥
- 3 medium sized ripe bananas
- 3 heaped tbsp cocoa1 heaped tbsp natural syrup like maple or coconut sugar, or 2 medjool dates
- 13 drops of liquid stevia, or powdered, or other atural sweetener such as above to taste
- 1 tbsp vanilla paste
- 1/2 can coconut cream (all solid cream no water is best)
- 1 cup of cocoa powder (or use cacao if you prefer)
- 1½ cup of ground almond
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- ¼ can of coconut cream
- ½ cup of raisins
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 25 drops stevia (or to taste)
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar (leave out for no sugar version)
- 2 tsp cocoa nibs (optional, but extra delicious and highly recommended)
Blend the nice cream ingredients, transfer to container for freezing. Blend the cookie dough ingredients in a bowl, a spoon will do the job fine. Roll into small balls. If you're using an ice-cream maker then add the cookie dough when finished, if not then crumble a little into the nice cream, and add a swirl of coconut cream also if you like, it freezes with a lovely solid texture.
To make as chocolate pudding - follow the above instructions, only don't freeze, or only for a while not till frozen.
Make sure your bananas are ripe, the riper the better really as less ripe bananas have a strong flavour and less suitable texture.
If you use frozen bananas it'll speed the nice cream making process up.
The higher the cream content the better the nice cream, so use the solid part of the coconut cream for the best results.
The cookie dough balls make really delicious sweets in their own right, there will be loads left over so you have some in the fridge for a little pick-me-up treat when needed.
I recommend pouring some coconut cream on top of the nice cream and swirling it in, when frozen it has a lovely hard smooth texture. Also frozen raisins in the cookie dough sweets are like toffee, less so if you put them in nice cream as they absorb the moisture.
I love that this recipe makes the most delicious and luxurious rich chocolate pudding and/or nice cream, that's the kind of double whammy I like. The pudding is also gorgeous with the cookie dough balls mixed in.... so if you haven't got an ice-cream maker and run out of time to freeze, eat it as is!
Leave a Reply