How To Elevate Plain Vanilla Ice Cream In Less Than A Minute

Ice cream was invented much earlier than you likely think. In fact, humans have been eating ice cream since at least 2000 BCE. In these 4,000 years we've come up with countless flavors and variations to enjoy this sweet invention. Out of all of them, vanilla may be the most maligned, having developed a reputation for being bland and boring. While we think a great vanilla ice cream recipe can be oh-so delicious, we have to admit sometimes we just want a bit of a kick in our dessert. Sure, you can always use the scoop to complement more complex sweets. Nothing can beat vanilla as a topping for a hot brownie or a straight-out-of-the-oven apple crumble. But as amazing as these pairings can be, we're not always in the mood for a sugar rush that'll leave our eyes twitching for the rest of the day. Sometimes, all you want is a simple treat that'll satisfy your cravings without pushing you into glucose overload.

So, what do you do when you want something simple like vanilla ice cream but not as simple as vanilla ice cream? (We know, it's a contradiction. But, much like Whitman, we contain multitudes.) The solution is very simple: elevate your vanilla ice cream with toppings you already have at home or can easily pick up next time you're out grocery shopping. For a simple, yet perfect, pairing to add on to your vanilla ice cream, throw in some grated dark chocolate and crushed peanuts. Trust us, this combo will take your bowl of vanilla ice cream to a whole new level, and adding them won't steal up all your time in the kitchen, either.

Our favorite way to elevate plain vanilla ice cream into a gourmet dessert is to grate dark chocolate on top of it and sprinkle it with crushed peanuts. The dark chocolate adds a hint of bitterness, while the peanuts add saltiness and crunchiness. These simple additions keep the dessert from being too sweet, while giving it more complexity. If you want to take it a step further, put a raspberry on top for tartness. The best part of this dessert is that it takes less than a minute to make, but looks pretty enough to serve it to guests when you're hosting.

For the best results, use dark chocolate bars (like the kind used to make Mexican or Colombian hot chocolate) rather than the kind of chocolate you bite into. These bars can be grated easily and don't contain a lot of sugar. You should also be careful when using salted peanuts, since it's easy to go overboard and make the ice cream too salty. When it comes to this ingredient, just a tiny bit goes a long way. There are plenty of other ingredients that you can use to "spice up" plain vanilla ice cream: fudge, sliced fruit, and even hot sauce.