Ice Cream Sundae Boards Will Be Your New Dessert Obsession
They're like cheese boards, for dessert.
Few things are better than walking into a party and happening upon a giant cheese platter. Overflowing with chèvre and comté, manchego and gorgonzola—it’s the ultimate sign of a well-thrown soirée.
But if you prefer chocolate to cheddar, you’re out of luck—until now. Jeni Britton Bauer, founder of Columbus, Ohio-based Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams and award-winning cookbook author, says her go-to, no-fail dessert is an ice cream sundae board. It’s even easier than putting together a cheese board, and will satisfy all the sweet tooths at the party.
“Think of it like a cheese board that swaps the brie and gouda for ice cream and buttermilk frozen yogurt,” she says. “Sub cookies for crackers. Keep the nuts and jam. And maybe we throw in some hot fudge or caramel sauce. That’s the beauty of a sundae board—it’s 100 percent customizable!”
Britton Bauer recommends including two to three pints per board, and serving the ice cream with cheese spreaders for smearing it into cups. (You’ll likely want a little of every flavor, so an ice cream scoop is too large).
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Once you’ve decided on sauces and toppings, it's time to arrange everything on a serving board. Britton Baeur makes hers out of plywood and paints the sides bright colors, but if you don't want to DIY, there are plenty of great options for purchase. We like this sheesham wood one, because the carved groove around the perimeter will catch any melting ice cream from spilling onto any surface.
To get you started, Britton Bauer curated two incredible sundae boards for Real Simple: one for kids, and one for adults. See below for her recommendations:
Kids Ice Cream Sundae Board:
Ice Cream Flavors: Wildberry Lavender, Darkest Chocolate, Salted Peanut Butter With Chocolate Flecks
Sauces: Extra-Bitter Hot Fudge, Salty Caramel, Honey Butterscotch
Toppings: Macarons, Kiwis, Strawberries, Blueberries, Marshmallows, Sprinkles, Chocolate Cookies, Caramel Corn
Adult Ice Cream Sundae Board:
Ice Cream Flavors: Sweet Cream, Darkest Chocolate, Salty Caramel
Sauces: Extra-Bitter Hot Fudge, Salty Caramel, Honey Butterscotch
Toppings: Apricots, Mixed Nuts, Figs, Pears, Fancy Chocolate, Pomegranate Seeds, Palmiers, Medjool Dates, Almond Cookies, Assorted Herbs
