Cottage Cheese Ice Cream Bark
A high protein treat that is both healthy and indulgent. It’s packed with protein, thick and creamy, and just sweet enough, thanks to the fresh, ripe cherries, silky chocolate drizzle, and kiss of honey.
Servings 8
Calories 131kcal
Cost $10
Equipment
- food processor
- Rimmed baking sheet
- parchment paper
- Spatula
- Sharp knife such as a chef's knife for cutting the bark after it's frozen,
Ingredients
- 2 cups full-fat cottage cheese
- ¼ cup unfiltered honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- ¼ cup chocolate chips dark is my favorite, but you can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate too.
- ¼ cup cherries pitted and chopped
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
Instructions
- Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add cottage cheese, honey, and vanilla to a food processor. Blend on high in 1-minute intervals, stopping to scrape down the sides with a spatula. Continue blending until the mixture is creamy smooth. This process could take up to 5 minutes. (If using a blender, use 30-second intervals and do not over-blend, which can make the mixture become runny.)
- Pour mixture onto parchment-lined baking sheet and spread evenly to no less than ¼ inch thick. Set aside.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring each time, until melty smooth.
- Drizzle the melted chocolate across the top of the cottage cheese mixture with a fork or silicone brush. Add as much or as little as you desire.
- Sprinkle the chopped cherries and slivered almonds and lightly press them into the mixture.
- Place in the freezer, flat on a shelf (or otherwise create a level area), for at least 3 hours.
- Cut into even 3-inch squares using a large knife (such as a chef’s knife). Or if you prefer, break random-sized chunks off by hand.
- Enjoy immediately.
Notes
Melting the chocolate:
Use 15-20 second intervals and stir each time. Watch it carefully as you don't want to overheat these. If you do, they are hard and sticky and you can't work with it to drizzle. Another option is using a double-boiler, or if you don't have one you can use the same method by setting a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, but not touching the water. Stir frequently and be very careful to avoid getting even one drop of water in the bowl or the chocolate will seize almost immediately. Adding the chocolate:
It’s possible to drop spoonfuls of chocolate onto the cottage cheese mixture and then spread it through with a fork or chopstick, but I found that it doesn’t always work well. Depending on the temperature, the chocolate can quickly start to harden before you can spread it out. So, using a fork or silicone brush to ‘shake and splatter’ the chocolate is so much easier and is a sure way to add the melted chocolate in a yummy, random pattern. Use as much as or as little as you desire. You can also use a small squeeze bottle (or even a zip lock bag with the corner snipped) for more control. Variations:
There are hundreds of possible combinations. But to keep it healthy and lower sugar, opt for dark chocolate, any type of chopped berries, even dried cranberries, and other chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, or pistachios. See the post for some fun flavor combinations.
Use 15-20 second intervals and stir each time. Watch it carefully as you don't want to overheat these. If you do, they are hard and sticky and you can't work with it to drizzle. Another option is using a double-boiler, or if you don't have one you can use the same method by setting a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, but not touching the water. Stir frequently and be very careful to avoid getting even one drop of water in the bowl or the chocolate will seize almost immediately. Adding the chocolate:
It’s possible to drop spoonfuls of chocolate onto the cottage cheese mixture and then spread it through with a fork or chopstick, but I found that it doesn’t always work well. Depending on the temperature, the chocolate can quickly start to harden before you can spread it out. So, using a fork or silicone brush to ‘shake and splatter’ the chocolate is so much easier and is a sure way to add the melted chocolate in a yummy, random pattern. Use as much as or as little as you desire. You can also use a small squeeze bottle (or even a zip lock bag with the corner snipped) for more control. Variations:
There are hundreds of possible combinations. But to keep it healthy and lower sugar, opt for dark chocolate, any type of chopped berries, even dried cranberries, and other chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, or pistachios. See the post for some fun flavor combinations.
Nutrition
Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 76IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 0.2mg