Chips and ice cream? Trust us on this one. Black Forest Sundae Chips take the much-loved combination of hot, salty chips dipped into something cold and creamy and turn it into a full-on Chipmas dessert.
Golden McCain Home Chips are arranged into a festive Chipmas wreath, with scoops of vanilla ice cream, juicy black cherries, dark chocolate and sticky cherry sauce creating a seriously indulgent sharing centrepiece. Finish with a chocolate drizzle for a sweet, salty, hot-and-cold dessert made for dipping, scooping and sharing.
Think chips dipped in a milkshake meets a Black Forest sundae only this time, the chips are very much invited to dessert.
Preheat your oven to 220°C (or follow the temperature guidance on the McCain Home Chips pack).
Cook the chips
Preheat the oven and cook the McCain Home Chips according to the pack instructions until golden and crispy.
You may need to divide the chips between two baking trays to give them plenty of room to cook evenly.
Make the cherry sauce
Drain the cherries, reserving the juice.
Pour the cherry juice into a small saucepan and gently simmer until it has reduced to a glossy, slightly sticky sauce. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
Build your Black Forest sundae wreath
Arrange the hot McCain Home Chips around the edge of a large round sharing board or platter to create a festive Chipmas wreath, leaving space in the centre.
Add generous scoops of vanilla ice cream to the centre of the wreath, then scatter the drained black cherries and roughly chopped dark chocolate over and around the chips.
Get drizzling
Spoon the reduced cherry sauce over the wreath, followed by a generous drizzle of chocolate sauce.
For an extra sweet-and-salty finish, add a small pinch of flaky sea salt to some of the chips. Alternatively, lightly dust a few with icing sugar before adding the toppings.
Dip in
Bring your Black Forest Sundae Chips wreath straight to the table and let everyone dive in.
Grab a chip, scoop up some vanilla ice cream and cherry sauce, and get dipping.
Recipe tips
Serve it immediately.Hot chips and cold ice cream are the whole point, so don't assemble the platter until everyone is ready.
Keep the chips crispy. Give them plenty of room on the baking trays and don't pour the sauces over until the last moment.
Let the cherry sauce reduce. You want it thick enough to coat the chips and ice cream rather than making everything soggy.
Don't overthink the presentation. This one's meant to be messy. Put it in the middle of the table and let everyone dip in.
Variations
Why Do Chips and Ice Cream Work?
It might sound like an unusual combination, but chips and ice cream are all about contrast.
Hot, crispy, slightly salty chips meet cold, creamy vanilla ice cream, while sweet cherries and chocolate bring classic Black Forest flavours. The saltiness of the chips helps balance the sweetness, rather than every element of the dessert being sugary.
And if you've ever been partial to dipping your chips into a milkshake, you'll already know exactly where we're going with this one.
Make Your Black Forest Sundae Chips Your Own
The Black Forest combination is just the starting point.
For even more of a sweet-and-salty sundae, sprinkle a few of the chips with flaky sea salt before adding the ice cream. For a sweeter finish, lightly dust some of the hot chips with icing sugar.
You can also swap vanilla for chocolate ice cream, add crushed biscuits for extra crunch or serve the cherry and chocolate sauces in bowls on the side for dipping.
If cherries aren't your thing, try strawberries or raspberries with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce for a fruitier version.
Make It Vegan
A vegan Chip & Dip Sundae is easy to put together without losing the hot-and-cold contrast that makes the recipe fun.
Swap the vanilla ice cream for a plant-based vanilla, chocolate or cherry ice cream and choose dairy-free dark chocolate and a vegan-friendly chocolate sauce.
Keep the dark cherries and reduced cherry sauce, then finish with toppings such as toasted hazelnuts, crushed biscuits or dairy-free chocolate pieces for extra texture. Check individual product labels to make sure your chosen toppings and sauces are suitable for vegans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do chips and ice cream go together
A:
Yes. Hot, salty chips and cold, sweet ice cream create a combination of contrasting flavours, temperatures and textures similar to dipping chips into a milkshake.
What is a Black Forest Sundae Chips?
A:
Black Forest Sundae Chips is a sharing dessert made with crispy McCain Home Chips and vanilla ice cream. This Black Forest-inspired version adds dark cherries, chocolate and cherry sauce.
What ice cream goes best with chips?
A:
Vanilla works particularly well because its creamy sweetness complements salty chips without overpowering the other toppings. Chocolate ice cream is another option if you want a richer dessert.
Can I make a vegan chips and ice cream sundae?
A:
Yes. Use a plant-based ice cream with dairy-free chocolate and vegan-friendly chocolate sauce, then add cherries and any other vegan toppings you fancy.
Can I use a different fruit?
A:
Absolutely. Strawberries and raspberries both work well with vanilla ice cream and chocolate, or you can keep the black cherries for the full Black Forest-inspired version.
How do I stop the ice cream from melting too quickly?
A:
Cook and prepare everything else first and keep the ice cream in the freezer until you're ready to serve. Build the sundae at the very last minute and bring it straight to the table.
