Black Forest Chocolate Frappe in Ten Minutes Tips, FAQ & printable recipe

Tips for success

Chill the glass, the cherries and the chocolate before blending. Cold ingredients keep the frappe thick for longer, so the drink holds its body while you pour and garnish. A chilled goblet also slows the melting of the ice and keeps the cream from softening too quickly on top.

Taste the frappe before you pour it. Ripe bananas and sweet cherries vary a lot, and a little extra milk or a few more ice cubes can adjust the sweetness and texture. Blend briefly after each change so the flavor stays balanced and the texture stays smooth and thick for a satisfying drink.

Variations

• Dairy-free version: Replace the whole milk with oat milk and use a dairy-free whipped topping in place of the cream. Check that the dark chocolate is labeled dairy-free before grating it, since many bars contain milk.
• Extra chocolate: Add a second grated portion of dark chocolate to the blender for a deeper, more intense frappe. Blend a little longer to keep the texture smooth, and taste before you add more ice or milk.
• Frozen cherry version: Use frozen dark cherries, thawed and well drained, in place of fresh cherries. Pat them dry on a paper towel before blending so the frappe stays thick and does not become watery.
• Toasted almond finish: Toast the whole almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, then cool them before using. Scatter them over the cream for a warmer, nuttier garnish and a more pronounced crunch.

Storage and make-ahead

Fridge

Keep leftover frappe covered in the refrigerator for up to one hour, then stir well before serving, since it will thin as it sits.

This frappe is best served the moment it is blended, because the ice melts and the texture thins within minutes. If you need to keep it briefly, pour it into a sealed container and place it in the refrigerator for up to one hour, then stir well before serving. Do not store the drink in the freezer, since it will freeze solid and lose its smooth texture.

Keep the whipped cream separate and refrigerated, and pipe it on just before serving. Store the reserved chocolate shavings in an airtight container at cool room temperature, away from heat and moisture, so they stay crisp. The almonds and fresh cherries should be kept refrigerated until you need them, and used within a day or two for the best flavor and texture.

You can prepare most of this frappe ahead of time, which makes the final assembly quick. Pit and halve the cherries, slice the banana and grate the chocolate up to a day in advance, keeping each separately in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Store the cherries and banana in an airtight container with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture, and grate the chocolate just before blending if possible.

Whip the cream on the day you plan to serve it, and keep it chilled until you pipe it. Blend the frappe only when you are ready to serve, since blending ahead lets the ice melt and the drink lose its thickness. Set out the goblets in the refrigerator ahead of time, so the drink stays cold from the first sip to the last.

Serving ideas

Serve the frappe immediately in a chilled footed glass goblet, with the whipped cream still holding its swirl on top. Offer a wide straw or a long spoon so guests can stir the cream into the drink and taste the chocolate, cherry and banana together in each sip. A small plate of extra almonds or a few cherries on the side makes a good accompaniment for guests who enjoy a crunchy garnish.

This frappe works well as a dessert after a light dinner, as an afternoon treat with friends, or as a special drink for a relaxed evening at home.

Because it is rich and thick, one goblet is usually enough for a generous serving, so pour one glass per person and keep a second blender batch ready if you are serving a larger group. Pair it with a simple cookie or a plain biscuit to balance the sweetness of the cherries and the depth of the dark chocolate.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe card

Black Forest Chocolate Frappe in Ten Minutes

Prep 15 minCook 2 minTotal 17 minServes 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh dark cherries, pitted and halved
• 1 ripe banana, sliced
• 2 tbsp whole almonds, plus extra for garnish
• 2 oz dark chocolate bar, grated, plus extra shavings for garnish
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks, for topping

Instructions

1. Pit the dark cherries and cut them in halves with a long knife on a wooden cutting board. Slice the banana into rounds. Set a small pile of whole almonds aside for garnish and leave the rest in the bowl for blending.
2. Hold the dark chocolate bar against the fine side of a stainless steel box grater. Grate it over the board so the fine shavings fall directly onto the surface. Keep a small portion of shavings aside for the topping.
3. Add the cherries, banana slices, almonds, grated dark chocolate, ice and milk to a glass blender jar. Blend on high until the mixture is smooth, thick and deep brown, with no visible chunks of fruit or nuts.
4. Pour the blended frappe into a footed glass goblet, filling it all the way to the top. Check that the surface is smooth before you add the topping.
5. Fill a piping bag fitted with a swirl tip with the whipped cream. Pipe a generous mound on top of the frappe. Scatter the reserved chocolate shavings over the cream and add a few whole almonds and cherry halves for the red accents.
6. Serve the frappe at once with a wide straw or a long spoon. Stir gently into the cream so each sip mixes chocolate, cherry and banana.

Contains: milk, tree nuts

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories

520

Protein

10 g

Carbohydrates

64 g

Fat

26 g

Fiber

6 g

Sugar

48 g

Sodium

120 mg

Automatic estimate from the ingredient list, not laboratory-verified.