Sweet Wholesome Wednesday: Cool Peppermint Ice Cream w/ Homemade Chocolate Magic Shell

I almost forgot that today was Sweet Wholesome Wednesday, but glad I had a recipe on standby for times like this :o)

The title pretty much says it all... the peppermint is fresh from my garden and wonderfully refreshing! But I had to use a lot of peppermint leaves to get a good flavor, you'll have to adjust according to your tastes. Some like it strong, some like it mild and I'm in the middle :o)

You can revisit your sweet childhood memories of magic shells with no guilty feelings! This homemade Chocolate Magic Shell is more delicious than the distant memory of Magic Shells at your local ice cream shop! I wasn't a big fan of the Magic Shell as a kid because the flavor wasn't appealing and I felt like it was in the way of the real good stuff: the ice cream. Now, I am happy to say that this stuff rocks! The secret ingredient to making the "hard shell" is... coconut oil. For those of you who might not know, coconut oil's melting point is around 72 F and hardens very quickly when the temp. is less then 70 F. The coconut oil makes an ideal, healthy (and frugal!!) Magic Shell and you can avoid the nasty (my opinion) kinds in the stores!

Cool Peppermint Ice Cream w/

Homemade Chocolate Magic Shell

• 3 cups whole milk or cream
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. peppermint extract (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. arrowroot powder
• 15-25 (or more) fresh peppermint leaves

Blend everything together in your blender. Pour into your ice cream maker and process according to instructions. IF you don't have a maker... simply pour into a plastic container and put in freezer. When frozen, pull it out and let it thaw slightly. Chop it up and pour into your blender. Blend till creamy.

NOTE: Make sure to taste the mixture and adjust if needed. I did not use peppermint extract (didn't have any, but if you want a strong flavor... you might want to use it) and I used about 25 leaves before I was satisfied with the peppermint flavor.

• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1/2-3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4-1/3 cup honey (or your choice of sweetener)
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• pinch of sea salt

Gently melt everything together over very low heat (don't want it to boil!) or use a double boiler. Taste and adjust according to your preferences. Pour into a small glass mason jar or a plastic container (easy to squeeze).

You don't have to refrigerate this amazing stuff because the coconut oil naturally preserves the mixture. Ours lasted almost 2 weeks (on the shelf) before it was used up and tasted great! If you decide to put it in the fridge... expect it to turn into a hard lump and you will need to let it sit in hot water before using.

Who says ice cream is only a summer treat?! Just turn up the heat for a little bit and daydream about the summer days while you eat this delicious peppermint treat!