Chill out this summer with the ultimate ice cream bar.
What better way to inject a bit of fun into a summer party or barbecue than with an ice cream bar for dessert. Hassle-free and interactive, let family and friends run wild with an array of toppings and fun serving suggestions.
Ice cream experts Yeo Valley show us just how it’s done…
GO BANANAS
Nothing says barbecue dessert quite like a freshly grilled banana. Chop the ends off each banana but leave the skin on. Place the bananas on the barbecue grill and leave to blacken for around 10-12 minutes. Remove the bananas from the grill, split open and serve with vanilla ice cream, some fresh whipped cream and a handful of chopped nuts. Add caramel sauce for the final flourish.
HOT STUFF
Why not spice up your ice cream bar with Yeo Valley Executive Chef Paul Collins’ chilli chocolate sauce? It’s a really fun contrast to cold and creamy ice cream;
120g dark chocolate, broken into chunks
35g sugar
70ml water
1 red chilli
- Place the water and the whole chilli into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Slowly stir in the sugar until it has dissolved.
- Take the pan off the heat and remove the chilli before gently whisking in the chocolate until it all melts and forms a nice, smooth, velvety sauce.
- Spoon the warm chocolate and chilli sauce over the top of your favourite ice cream. For an extra kick of chilli, garnish with a few thin slices of fresh chilli.
HOW FRUITY
For the fruit fans out there, a cracking fruit coulis is a quick and easy make. Pop a handful of mixed berries, a sprinkling of icing sugar and a squeeze of lemon in a pan. Allow to cook down, reduce and then cool. Serve over strawberries and ice cream for a super fruity treat.
SUMMER SPRINKLES
Alongside these sauce recipes, offer your guests a few fun glasses to serve ice cream in, as well as a selection of sprinkles to top off proceedings. Chopped nuts, freeze-dried raspberries and fresh berries are great alternatives to artificial sprinkles.
Find their whole range here; www.yeovalley.co.uk