This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.
Thanks to Mars Ice Cream and DOVE or sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.
It's National Ice Cream Day! Let's celebrate with dark chocolate coated vanilla ice cream bars topped with a double dose of coconutty goodness.
My husband's parents' birthdays are 2 days apart, so we usually have a them over for dinner and dessert to celebrate together.
This year, I learned that my mother-in-law's birthday is on National Ice Cream Day.
How fitting, too, because she is a big fan of decadent desserts of any form, but especially those of the ice cream persuasion.
Since we had them over on a busy weeknight and I also needed time to cook dinner, I wanted to make a celebration-worthy dessert that didn't require a ton of work.
The thought of doing an ice cream sundae type of treatment to an ice cream bar sounded like a delicious solution!
I decided to make a whipped cream out of coconut cream and toast up some sweet-and-salty coconut chips for a crunchy topping.
Chocolate and coconut go together so beautifully, and that combination is especially refreshing in ice cream form!
The coconut cream was a great way to pack in an extra layer of coconut flavor versus using heavy cream. Make sure to get full-fat coconut cream (not coconut milk) for this recipe.
The can needs to sit in the fridge overnight so the coconut solidifies and it's whip-able, so plan accordingly.
The toasted coconut chips are sweet and salty - one of my favorite combos! The maple, cinnamon and vanilla flavors balance the saltiness out beautifully. Just make sure to watch the coconut while it's in the oven during the last few minutes so it doesn't burn.
The chips will harden as they cool, resulting in a wonderfully crispy topping that is an equally good snack on its own. Any leftovers (if you have them!) will keep well in an airtight container for a few days.
So for this year's birthday dinner, I made a Fresh Corn Sauté w Red Pepper & Onion to go alongside Pork Medallions w Scallions & Magic Green Sauce.
I had made the coconut chips in the afternoon, so after we finished eating, I whipped up the coconut cream and dessert was ready!
Once dessert time came around, everyone had a great time adding dollops of the coconut cream along with a sprinkling of coconut chips to their ice cream bars.
And I just love the feeling when the dark chocolate coating on the DOVEBAR cracks when you take a bite. Yum!
This was a really fun way to enjoy dessert on a hot summer day while enjoying some quality time with my family. Their annual birthday celebration was a big success! And now that I know that my mother-in-law's birthday is on National Ice Cream Day, I think ice cream will be on the menu every July 19th!
Print📖 Recipe
Description
It’s National Ice Cream Day! Let’s celebrate with dark chocolate coated vanilla ice cream bars topped with a double dose of coconutty goodness.
Ingredients
For Maple Cinnamon Toasted Coconut Chips:
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut chips
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For Whipped Coconut Cream:
- 1 can full fat cream of coconut (not coconut milk), refrigerated overnight
- ½ cup powdered sugar
To Serve:
- 2 packages DOVEBAR Vanilla Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate (6 bars total)
Instructions
- Toast coconut chips: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, add coconut chips, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and cinnamon. Toss well to coat thoroughly. Spread coated coconut in a single layer on a baking sheet that has been lined with a silicone nonstick baking mat or parchment paper.
- Bake coconut in preheated oven until well toasted, stirring every 5 minutes to ensure even browning. (It took 12 minutes total in my oven). Remove toasted coconut to a bowl to cool while you prepare the whipped coconut cream.
- Whip coconut cream: Place a large bowl (preferably metal) in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Once chilled, open the can of refrigerated coconut cream. Without stirring or shaking, and spoon out the top, solidified portion and place it in the chilled bowl. About ¾ of the can should be solidified. Reserve the liquid at the bottom of the can for another purpose.
- Beat coconut cream with an electric mixer until it starts to get smooth, about 30-60 seconds. Add in the powdered sugar in 3 batches, beating well after each incorporation. Continue to beat until it reaches soft peaks. At this point, the whipped coconut cream is ready to go, but you can also refrigerate it to get it to firm up a bit more if desired.
- To serve, place a large dollop of whipped coconut cream on top of each DOVEBAR, and sprinkle with maple cinnamon toasted coconut chips. Enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 361
- Sugar: 22.1 g
- Sodium: 99.8 mg
- Fat: 18.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 12.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.2 g
- Fiber: 1.8 g
- Protein: 3.2 g
- Cholesterol: 14 mg
DOVEBARS come in 5 flavors: Vanilla Ice Cream with Milk or Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate, Mint Swirl Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate and Caramel Cashew with Milk Chocolate. They're available in both single size as well as miniatures (which are only 60-70 calories per piece). You can find the multi-packs at most grocery stores and the singles at convenience and drug stores nationwide.
Want to get social with Dove? Check them out on Facebook and Twitter.
theviewfromGreatIsland says
Dove Bars are my trigger food - I will go through an entire box on my own if no one is watching!!
Allie R Taylor says
Oh my goodness. These are incredible!!!
Lori H says
The cracking of the chocolate is the best! 🙂