Pecan Ice Cream Balls Recipe with Hot Fudge Sauce
Sneak Preview: Pecan Ice Cream Balls Recipe with Hot Fudge Sauce is ice cream formed into balls, rolled in toasted pecans, and served with homemade hot fudge sauce.
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Looking for a make-ahead dessert? You’re set if you have room in your freezer and a gallon of ice cream. Make the pecan ice cream balls ahead of time and reheat the fudge sauce at the last minute.
Normally I don’t think about Easter dinner anytime before Good Friday. But my relatively new blogging addiction has me thinking about dessert already.
Since dinner will be after church, I want something I can prepare beforehand–as in DAYS ahead of time. These retro Pecan Ice Cream Balls with Hot Fudge Sauce will be perfect.
Helen Corbitt was one of the greatest influences on my cooking because of my previous job in the kitchen at The Greenhouse. She published this wonderful hot fudge sauce recipe in Helen Corbitt’s Cookbook(paid link). Her directions called for using a double boiler and cooking for 30 minutes on the stove.
Using your microwave to make the fudge sauce:
I prefer to use my microwave for the same delicious results in a third of the time.
First, I get out my trusty 2-quart glass batter bowl. Two trips to the microwave and a good beating will produce a thick, rich, glossy, fudge-y sauce you can reheat (in the microwave if you are careful) at a moment’s notice. Or pour the sauce into a pretty glass jar and give it away.
Variations:
Ms. Corbitt also gave me the idea of making ice cream balls. I usually use vanilla, but coffee, chocolate chip, mint, and cherry would all work. Toasting whatever nuts you decide to use will bring out the flavor. Kids will go crazy for chopped candy or colored sprinkles instead of nuts.
How to make Ice Cream Balls and cover them with pecans or candy:
Scoop out ice cream. Using plastic gloves, mold ice cream into a rough ball and drop it on a pile of toasted, chopped, and cooled pecans or candy sprinkles. Roll to cover completely and return to the freezer to harden. Wrap well to store.
More ways to dress up ice cream:
Pecan Ice Cream Balls Recipe with Hot Fudge Sauce
Ingredients
ICE CREAM BALLS
- 2 cups (260 g) ice cream
- 1 cup (110 g) toasted pecans
HOT FUDGE SAUCE
- ½ cup (113 g) butter
- 2¼ cups (270 g) powdered sugar
- 6 ounces (170 g) bitter chocolate
- ⅔ cup (151 g) evaporated milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- heavy cream – if needed
Instructions
ICE CREAM BALLS:
- Scoop out 2 cups (260 g) ice cream.
- Using plastic gloves, quickly mold ice cream into a rough ball and drop it onto a pile of 1 cup (110 g) toasted pecans , chopped.
- Roll the ice cream in nuts to cover the ball completely and return to the freezer to harden. Wrap well to store.
HOT FUDGE SAUCE:
- In a 2-quart Pyrex batter bowl, melt ½ cup (113 g) butter in the microwave for 1 minute, 15 seconds on HIGH. Stir in 2¼ cups (270 g) powdered sugar.
- Lay the 6 ounces (170 g) bitter chocolate on top of the sugar mixture in a glass bowl and pour ⅔ cup (151 g) evaporated milk over all. DO NOT STIR. Microwave on MEDIUM for 8 minutes. Check after 5 or 6 minutes. Chocolate should just be melted–no more. If you prefer, heat in a double boiler for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the microwave and add ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat–slowly at first and then more vigorously. A portable mixer works perfectly, but you could also use a whisk. Keep beating until silky smooth. Add heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the sauce is too thick, but never add water.
- Store fudge sauce in the refrigerator and reheat as needed.
Paula Rhodes, author
I’m a retired home economist, wife, mother, grandmother, and creator of Saladinajar.com. I believe you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Here you’ll find time-saving tips, troubleshooting advice, and confidence-inspiring recipes to make life in the kitchen more fun, appetizing, and satisfying.