Now open in Richardson, healthy dessert shop Berrynaked’s “sinful” dessert bowls offer up an alternative to sugary ice cream and popsicles for health enthusiasts who are trying to beat the heat.
Created by Berrynaked’s Heather Kim, these bowls are decidedly more decadent than the shop’s fruit and veggie packed popsicles, but are made with recognizable ingredients, like heavy cream, organic frozen fruit, and milk chocolate in lieu of the stabilizers, fillers, and preservatives that are packed into most frozen treats. And, perhaps most importantly, the way the shop makes these Instagram-worthy bowls helps keep the calorie count low.
The secret to this creamy, arguably healthy dessert option is all in the science. The heavy cream used in Berrynaked’s bowls is emulsified by the blades of a blender, moving at more than 250 miles per hour, which results in an ultra-creamy and smooth texture with less fat than a traditional bowl of ice cream. As an added benefit, this high-speed movement also causes any ice in the frozen strawberries to evenly disperse, making the ice crystals that typically plague the average smoothie a thing of the past.
Take a peek at the making of these healthy-yet-decadent bowls, courtesy of Eater photographer Kathy Tran.
Two hefty scoops of frozen strawberries are added to the carafe of a high speed blender, then topped with a few tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream.
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The blender works its magic, where science and culinary expertise come together to produce a creamy, rich texture. Once perfectly pureed, the creamy mixture is somewhere in between soft-serve and a smoothie. Then, it’s poured into a freshly-made waffle bowl.
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Then, it’s time for garnishes. For the Beach Bum bowl, a pretty ring of sliced strawberries lines the rim, and a squirt of whipped cream is added on top. Nothing fancy here — just the nostalgic stuff from a can, even if it is organic.
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A drizzle of chocolate syrup is swirled for a photo-worthy effect. Cookie crumbles, rolled wafers, and chocolate sticks gild the lily.
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The Beach Bum Sinful Bowl is served with two spoons, just in case you feel like sharing. But you probably won’t.
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