With Christmas coming, I like to keep a few desserts in my freezer and I tried this ice cream out on my grand-children the other day and it went down really well.  They scraped their bowls clean and asked for more – a sure sign of success.  My husband and I enjoyed it as well.

This is really two recipes as the homemade Nutella is delicious on its own, spread on rice cakes or on apple slices, and the ice cream is just as scrumptious.

PALEO NUTELLA:

2/3 cup hazelnuts (blanched)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup cacao powder
½ cup coconut oil
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon maple syrup

METHOD:

Soak the hazelnuts overnight in water, then drain and rinse well.

Put the hazelnuts in a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth, then add salt and pulse to combine.

Add cacao powder, coconut oil and blend to combine.   If necessary, scrape down the sides of the blender/processor.   Add maple syrup and blend to form a paste.  If by any chance mixture starts to separate, add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, while blender is running, to bring the mixture back together.

Place the Nutella in a jar and store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Delicious Paleo Nutella

PALEO NUTELLA BANANA ICE CREAM

2 very ripe bananas
1/3 cup Nutella

METHOD:

Make sure your bananas are very ripe.

Peel and cut into small slices. Freeze for about 2 hours or until completely frozen through.

Transfer to a food processor along with the Nutella.

Blend on high, scraping down the sides occasionally, until it reaches the consistency of smooth soft serve ice cream.   Be patient, it will get there!

Serve immediately, or freeze for future consumption.  Top with some cacao nibs if desired.

Nutella Banana Ice Cream topped with Cacao Nibs

If freezing for later, leave ice cream in the fridge for a short while before serving as it freezes very hard.

Recipes adapted from Shared Appetite.