Cottage cheese creates ice cream texture without churning—the casein proteins freeze into the exact same crystals as cream.
High-Protein Chocolate Ice Cream
Indulge in a creamy, high-protein chocolate ice cream that will satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping your nutrition on track! This delightful treat blends rich cocoa powder and Greek yogurt for a luscious texture and a protein boost. Whip it up in minutes and enjoy a guilt-free dessert that’s both delicious and nutritious!
Prep
15
min
Cook
240
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This protein-packed frozen treat emerged from 1980s California bodybuilding gyms where muscle-bound fitness fanatics discovered that Italian cottage cheese could masquerade as gelato base—swap cream for curds, sugar for honey, and suddenly Arnold Schwarzenegger's post-workout snack becomes a legitimate dessert that won't send your macros into complete meltdown like proper Ben & Jerry's would.
Regional Twist
In Vermont's Burlington area, they swap the honey for local maple syrup and fold in crushed dark chocolate from Lake Champlain Chocolates, creating a distinctly New England twist.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 banana
- chopped almonds
- 16 oz (454 g) cottage cheese
- dark chocolate
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- cocoa powder (to taste)
- honey (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Blend the cottage cheese with the banana, cocoa powder, and honey until smooth.
- 2
Pour the mixture into a container.
- 3
Add your toppings: chopped almonds and dark chocolate pieces.
- 4
Freeze for 4 hours or until firm and scoopable.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Strain cottage cheese through fine mesh for 30 minutes before blending to remove excess whey, preventing ice crystals that form when water content exceeds 65%.technique65% water content
- ✓Use bananas at exactly 6-7 ripeness (yellow with brown spots) as they contain 25% sugar content and natural pectins that act as stabilizers in frozen desserts.ingredient25% sugar content
- ✓Blend mixture for exactly 90 seconds to achieve proper emulsification without overheating, as cottage cheese proteins denature above 140°F.timing90 seconds, 140°F
- ✓Temper dark chocolate to 88-90°F before chopping to prevent bloom formation and maintain snap when frozen, as untempered chocolate becomes chalky at ice cream temperatures.technique88-90°F
- ✓Freeze in a shallow container (2-inch depth maximum) to achieve optimal freezing rate of 1°F per minute, preventing large ice crystal formation that cottage cheese proteins can't inhibit like traditional custard bases.equipment2-inch depth, 1°F per minute
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
240
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Cottage cheese creates ice cream texture without churning—the casein proteins freeze into the exact same crystals as cream.
High-Protein Chocolate Ice Cream
Indulge in a creamy, high-protein chocolate ice cream that will satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping your nutrition on track! This delightful treat blends rich cocoa powder and Greek yogurt for a luscious texture and a protein boost. Whip it up in minutes and enjoy a guilt-free dessert that’s both delicious and nutritious!
The Story
This protein-packed frozen treat emerged from 1980s California bodybuilding gyms where muscle-bound fitness fanatics discovered that Italian cottage cheese could masquerade as gelato base—swap cream for curds, sugar for honey, and suddenly Arnold Schwarzenegger's post-workout snack becomes a legitimate dessert that won't send your macros into complete meltdown like proper Ben & Jerry's would.
Regional Twist
In Vermont's Burlington area, they swap the honey for local maple syrup and fold in crushed dark chocolate from Lake Champlain Chocolates, creating a distinctly New England twist.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 banana
- chopped almonds
- 16 oz (454 g) cottage cheese
- dark chocolate
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- cocoa powder (to taste)
- honey (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Blend the cottage cheese with the banana, cocoa powder, and honey until smooth.
- 2
Pour the mixture into a container.
- 3
Add your toppings: chopped almonds and dark chocolate pieces.
- 4
Freeze for 4 hours or until firm and scoopable.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Strain cottage cheese through fine mesh for 30 minutes before blending to remove excess whey, preventing ice crystals that form when water content exceeds 65%.technique65% water content
- ✓Use bananas at exactly 6-7 ripeness (yellow with brown spots) as they contain 25% sugar content and natural pectins that act as stabilizers in frozen desserts.ingredient25% sugar content
- ✓Blend mixture for exactly 90 seconds to achieve proper emulsification without overheating, as cottage cheese proteins denature above 140°F.timing90 seconds, 140°F
- ✓Temper dark chocolate to 88-90°F before chopping to prevent bloom formation and maintain snap when frozen, as untempered chocolate becomes chalky at ice cream temperatures.technique88-90°F
- ✓Freeze in a shallow container (2-inch depth maximum) to achieve optimal freezing rate of 1°F per minute, preventing large ice crystal formation that cottage cheese proteins can't inhibit like traditional custard bases.equipment2-inch depth, 1°F per minute