Coconut Banana Nice Cream & Chocolate Chip Cookies
Even though my father was the chef, my mother would always allow me to help her bake desserts in the kitchen on the weekends. Whenever she decided to bake, I was always there, sneakily waiting for her to pass me the empty bowl to lick clean of whatever remained. Not an easy feat when you have three siblings.
Cookies and ice cream are, I believe, the greatest combination in a dessert, ever. What’s better than that is putting them together to make an ice cream sandwich. The only ice cream sandwiches I ever had when I was a kid were from the neighbourhood ice cream truck and they were always in plastic wrap. Times have changed, no more chasing after the
ice-cream truck; I can make my own. This is truly the best combination – the cool creaminess of ice cream and the soft
chewiness of cookies – my death row dessert, for sure.
TIP: Use the leftover coconut milk from the can to make your own yoghurt, replacing the cashews for coconut, or place in a container, freeze and use for curry later in the week.
*Recipe from More Plants Less Waste by Max La Manna is published by Yellow Kite, priced at £20.00. Photography by Andrew Burton.
Ingredients
For the coconut banana nice cream:
120ml canned coconut cream, frozen in an ice-cube tray
120ml canned coconut cream, frozen in an ice-cube tray
4 ripe bananas, roughly chopped and frozen
1 tsp maple syrup
pinch of salt
For the cookies:
300g plain flour
300g plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
100 g virgin coconut oil, solid
100 g soft dark or light brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
50 ml coconut milk (from the coconut can)
100 g dark chocolate chips or a 100 g bar, chopped into 5mm pieces
1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
1
To start, begin by placing your frozen coconut cream, bananas,
maple syrup and salt in a blender or food processor and blend on
a low speed for a few seconds. This may require you to stop every
few seconds to mix by hand and release the frozen bits that stick
to the walls. If you have a hand blender, this may be easier for you.
You want to keep the frozen consistency, so resist adding any liquid
and all will work out perfectly.
maple syrup and salt in a blender or food processor and blend on
a low speed for a few seconds. This may require you to stop every
few seconds to mix by hand and release the frozen bits that stick
to the walls. If you have a hand blender, this may be easier for you.
You want to keep the frozen consistency, so resist adding any liquid
and all will work out perfectly.
2
Keep blending until the frozen mixture is the consistency of a thick,
soft-serve ice cream, then transfer to a bowl and place in the
freezer for 25–30 minutes.
soft-serve ice cream, then transfer to a bowl and place in the
freezer for 25–30 minutes.
3
On to the cookies. Preheat the oven to 190ºC. Have two big
bowls ready.
bowls ready.
4
Add the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda and powder) to
one bowl and whisk with a fork a couple times to break it up and
mix everything evenly. Place the bowl to the side.
one bowl and whisk with a fork a couple times to break it up and
mix everything evenly. Place the bowl to the side.
5
Add the coconut oil and sugar to the other bowl and begin to
mash and mix the two together. This may take a few minutes.
Once the sugar and coconut oil combine you’ll have a thick sugary
paste. Add your vanilla extract and milk and mix together.
mash and mix the two together. This may take a few minutes.
Once the sugar and coconut oil combine you’ll have a thick sugary
paste. Add your vanilla extract and milk and mix together.
6
Now, add your dry ingredients to the wet and fold all the
ingredients together. Get your hands in there to bring it all together.
Just before the mixture starts to look like dough, add half the dark
chocolate chips, or chopped pieces, and mix into a ball of dough.
ingredients together. Get your hands in there to bring it all together.
Just before the mixture starts to look like dough, add half the dark
chocolate chips, or chopped pieces, and mix into a ball of dough.
7
Using your hand, scoop out a palm-sized amount of dough and roll
it into a ball with both hands then place on a baking tray. The balls
need to have lots of room between them – about 7–10cm (the size
of your fist). Press each ball down lightly. Bake in the oven for 12–14
minutes until light brown on top and around the edges and the
centre is baked through, then remove from the oven and set aside
to cool completely.
it into a ball with both hands then place on a baking tray. The balls
need to have lots of room between them – about 7–10cm (the size
of your fist). Press each ball down lightly. Bake in the oven for 12–14
minutes until light brown on top and around the edges and the
centre is baked through, then remove from the oven and set aside
to cool completely.
8
When you’re ready to serve, take the ice cream out of the freezer
and allow it to thaw a little before scooping, if needed. Don’t wait
too long as the ice cream will melt quickly. Make sure it is still solid
but easy enough to scoop. Sandwich the cookies together with ice
cream and freeze again for 15–20 minutes to firm up.
and allow it to thaw a little before scooping, if needed. Don’t wait
too long as the ice cream will melt quickly. Make sure it is still solid
but easy enough to scoop. Sandwich the cookies together with ice
cream and freeze again for 15–20 minutes to firm up.
9
Meanwhile melt the remaining chocolate. Set a small heatproof
bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (the double boil process,
see page 000), making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water or
the chocolate will overheat and split. Keep over a low heat and
add the tablespoon of coconut oil. Next, add the chocolate chips
and begin to mix, allowing the chocolate to melt. Dip each cookie
sandwich into the melted chocolate and serve immediately, or
store in the freezer in an airtight container for up 3 days.
bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (the double boil process,
see page 000), making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water or
the chocolate will overheat and split. Keep over a low heat and
add the tablespoon of coconut oil. Next, add the chocolate chips
and begin to mix, allowing the chocolate to melt. Dip each cookie
sandwich into the melted chocolate and serve immediately, or
store in the freezer in an airtight container for up 3 days.
