If you’ve been following Orasella’s blog, you know I have a special place in my heart for desserts that look complicated, but, are a snap to pull together. It gives me a perverse sense of pride when people ooh and aah over said dessert not realizing that I barely invested 30 minutes in its making.
My problem is, I’m not very good at keeping the secret. There’s a piece of me that feels like tips that make your life easier should be shared. Wouldn’t you agree? To prove the point, I give you Orasella’s Coconut Mocha Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream. Enjoy!
Orasella’s Coconut Mocha Chunk Ice Cream
Serves 4
1 pint coconut ice cream
4t espresso powder
3oz bar dark chocolate
8 Orasella cherries, chopped
Optional Garnishes
Toasted coconut
Orasella cherries
Orasella cherry syrup (what’s left in the jar after you use your Orasella cherries)
Chocolate chunks
Remove the coconut ice cream from of the freezer and leave at room temperature for a few minutes to soften.
Using a cutting board and a chef’s knife, chop the dark chocolate bar into small bite sized pieces reserving a few pieces to garnish the finished dessert. Chop the Orasella cherries into quarters removing the stems.
Decide what you would like to mold the ice cream into. I used a small loaf pan, but, you can use whatever you have on hand. I do recommend lining the pan with parchment paper so the ice cream is easier to remove once frozen.
Place the pint of coconut ice cream in a bowl with the espresso powder and mix to combine. Gently fold in the chopped dark chocolate and Orasella cherries. Scoop ice cream into the prepared pan and freeze over night. Once completely frozen, unmold onto a plate and garnish as indicated below. You can cut slices of ice cream to serve to guests.
As for toppings, it’s your choice. I used coconut which I toasted in a sauté pan over low heat until golden brown, Orasella cherries, Orasella cherry syrup drizzled over the top, and the reserved chocolate chunks.