chocolate dipped peanut butter s'more ice cream bites.
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yes. i did.
and here are a bunch of photos that essentially all look the same. but. O M G.
peanut butter s'more ice cream! rolled into tiny scoops and dipped in dark chocolate! with crumbled graham cracker atop! wowowowowowwowowwww.
these came about as i was experimenting with about 6 different ice cream/frozen yogurt recipes for a project. there were a lotta little scientific containers of cream and milk and sugar of different varieties lurking in our freezer. i threw some peanut butter into one of the versions, and it became WAY more of a frozen dough-like consistency than an ice cream. but it IS ice cream! but i was like, whoa. wassuppppp.
this stuff is richhhhh. i was about to scoop up an average portion that one would eat in a casual ice cream eating sesh, and i was like, 'oh no.. no no. i can't serve this to anyone in this amount. they may pass out...' so yeah this in MEGA INDULGENT.
so then i was like hey i still really want to eat this...but how? and peter kept eating spoonfuls of it in secret.
bite-size it is! and obviously dip them in chocolate just to make it a cute little unit. top with graham cracker crumbles and freeze!
the actual ice cream is like ultra creamyyyy and thick (almost cookie dough-like) peanut butter ice cream. with a hefty swirl of melted marshmallow and chunks of chocolate. that alone is like WAAAAA YURM YURM brain explosion can't handleeee this life.
dipped in a coat of dark chocolate. & graham crumbles. i said that. but i'm saying it again. and it's cold. frozen! in a cute little 2-bite size!
YEAH YUM.
oh, and you don't need an ice cream maker and don't need to churn! mostly because it's sooo damn thick that it does not churn. ha! all of the accidents that happened along the way during the development of this particular ice cream base turned out to create a true miracle.
looking back into ye olde archives of this blog, it appears that i'm annually turning reg'lar old s'mores into something else. see: baked s'mores donuts & s'mores skillet.
this summer's s'mores creation is a very welcome addition to the collection.
luv you, little bitez of happiness.
Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter S'more Ice Cream Bites
Makes 12-16 ice cream bites
Active Time: 45 minutes // Total Time: 4-8 hours
Ingredients:
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups half and half
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. xantham gum (optional)
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 6-8 melted marshmallows, or 1/2 cup marshmallow creme
- about 2 oz. roughly chopped dark chocolate bar
- about 6-8 oz. dark chocolate melting wafers
- 1 graham cracker, finely crumbled, for topping
Instructions-
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with half the amount of sugar (1/8 cup) and set aside.
On the stovetop on medium heat, add the cream, half & half, other half amount of sugar (1/8 cup), and salt. Whisk frequently until gently simmering and the sugar is dissolved. Lower heat to medium-low.
Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the cream mixture into the bowl of yolks, whisking constantly so the eggs do not scramble.
Add the yolk + cream mixture back to the pot and raise heat to medium. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens into a custard-like texture, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool about 5-10 minutes.
Add the vanilla extract and xantham gum and whisk until smooth. Xantham gum is optional, but a small amount of it helps to thicken and bind the ice cream for a smoother texture.
Once the ice cream base has cooled off, pour it into a large airtight freezer bag and freeze for about 3-4 hours.
Pour the nearly frozen ice cream base into a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter until completely incorporated. Melt some marshmallows on low with 1 TB coconut oil (or butter) and swirl those into the ice cream. Add the chopped chocolate and fold.
Using a melon baller or a spoon, roll the ice cream base into balls (smaller than a golfball). I sprayed a little cooking spray on my hands and worked very quickly to keep it from melting. Place all the ice cream balls onto a plate or tray lined with wax paper, insert toothpicks into the center of each, and freeze for about 20 minutes.
While the ice cream balls are chilling again, melt the dipping chocolate over a double boiler, stirring frequently. I used melting wafers that are specific to candy dipping, but you could use chocolate chips or a chocolate bar you have on hand. Remove from heat once melted. Crumble up some graham crackers in a ziplock bag using a rolling pin or bottom of a mug.
Carefully dip the chilled ice cream balls into the (cooled) melted chocolate. Use a spoon to cover the top with chocolate. Set on a plate or tray lined with wax paper, and immediately sprinkle graham cracker crumbles on top. Repeat until all the bites are chocolate dipped and sprinkled with graham. Freeze for about 20 more minutes.
Remove the toothpicks before serving, and ENJOY! Store in a parchment-lined airtight container in the freezer.
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