Pecan-Covered Ice Cream Balls with Hot Fudge Sauce will delight both the kids and adults in your family. You can make it all 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 ahead of time–as in DAYS ahead of time. I think these retro Pecan-Covered 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. Her directions called for using a double boiler and cooking for 30 minutes on the stove.
Why I would rather use my 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, cherry, etc. 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 Pecan-Covered Ice Cream Balls:
Scoop out ice cream. Using plastic gloves, quickly mold ice cream into a rough ball and drop on a pile of toasted, chopped and cooled nuts. Roll to cover completely and return to the freezer to harden. Wrap well to store.
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Thank you for visiting!
Paula
Pecan Covered Ice Cream Balls with Hot Fudge Sauce
Ice cream balls rolled in toasted pecans and served with hot fudge sauce
Ingredients
- HOT FUDGE SAUCE
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup evaporated milk
- 6 squares unsweetened chocolate
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cream
Instructions
- In 2-quart Pyrex batter bowl, melt butter in the microwave for 1 minute, 15 seconds on HIGH. Stir in powdered sugar.
- Lay chocolate on top of sugar mixture in glass bowl and pour 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 microwave and add salt and 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 cream 1 tablespoon at a time if sauce is too thick but never add water.
- Store sauce in the refrigerator and reheat as needed.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 210Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 102mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 17gProtein: 3g
Lynn
Friday 22nd of April 2011
Your fudge sauce calls for bitter chocolate. Do you mean bittersweet or unsweetened? It looks so good and so easy!
Paula
Friday 22nd of April 2011
Lynn, I double checked and it's just as I thought. Unsweetened. I changed the recipe on my blog. Thanks so much for letting me know because that was confusing.
moonlace
Sunday 12th of September 2010
P. S. I left out butter and vanilla.
moonlace
Sunday 12th of September 2010
Back in the 70's, I had a Helen Corbitt cookbook that had a superb hot fudge sauce, different from the one you feature. It had regular milk, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa, sugar, salt, ... the rest I'm unsure of, maybe some corn syrup? Unfortunately, I do not recall the proper amounts of the ingredients. I had searched a number of cookbooks and tried innumerable chocolate sauces looking for one easy to make and with a wonderful thick syrupy, glossy consistency. This one was an immediate hit and I made it weekly for our family Sunday night dessert ritual. Do you by any chance know that recipe?
Steph
Thursday 10th of June 2010
YUM! I love ice cream. This is a really great way to dress up store bought ice cream - I love it! I'll be doing this at my next get together.
Kathleen
Tuesday 30th of March 2010
I love this dessert. YUM! Ice cream is perfect no matter how you serve it!!!