Classic Sundae Recipe

How about a Sundae not just on a Sunday but a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday…..Actually that is exactly how the sumptuous Sundae got its name. In the late 1800’s the owner of a soda fountain at 1404, 15th Street, New York was asked by a customer to add chocolate sauce to a dish of ice cream – the vendor only ever used chocolate sauce on the ice cream sodas he sold ! The newly created dish went down a storm although it cost a nickel and was only available on a Sunday!

The ice cream float on the other hand was invented in Philadelphia by Robert McCay Green at a celebration at the Franklin Institute in 1874. Mr Green ran out of the ice he was using for his flavoured drinks and asked the ice cream seller at a stall next to him whether he could buy some ice cream to add to the drinks he was selling instead – and so a great tradition was borne.

The new treat was a sensation and soon other soda fountains began selling ice cream floats. Green was never going to allow us to forget that it was his invention – his will instructed that "Originator of the Ice Cream Soda" was to be engraved on his tombstone.

Growing up in the 60’s, one of our childhood treats was being taken to an ice cream parlour for a sundae or knickerbocker glory piled high with ice cream, fruits and lashings of whipped cream with a topping of chocolate sauce and nuts. They take you back to those lazy, hazy days of summer, fun, and indulgence all rolled into one! Simple or sophisticated, there’s a recipe for everyone. Just keep layering for the best tasting, aesthetically pleasing dish of all. Here are some of our tried and tested toppers for Sundaes – ready to enjoy every day of the week, not just on a Sunday !

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 scoops of ice cream of your choosing
• Flavoured sauces / syrup
• Toppings of your choosing

Instructions

1. Pour 2 ounces (60 mls) of sauce or syrup into the bottom of your dish.
2. Add 2 scoops of ice cream.
3. Drizzle 2 ounces (60 mls) of sauce or syrup over the ice cream.
4. Add the final scoop of ice cream, the rest of your sauce, and any desired toppings.

Now you can go to town on your toppings and ingredients. Try the following:

1. Vanilla ice cream
2. Strawberry ice cream
3. Fresh, chopped strawberries (rest in sugar and balsamic vinegar before using)
4. Fresh mint
5. Whipped cream
6. Meringue pieces

Chocolate and fudge toppings with nuts and chocolate sprinkles are hard to beat. This is one of my favourite dishes and will go down as well with children at a birthday party or a Summer picnic or with adults at a dinner party.

Combine clotted cream, salted caramel and chocolate ice cream. Scatter with chopped nuts and drizzle with toffee or chocolate sauce (or both!) Make a salted caramel nut brittle to accompany it by roasting pecans, cashews or peanuts on a baking tray. Stir into a classic caramel sauce before spreading on a tray to cool. Break into chunks for the ultimate sundae topper.

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