Iced Irish Cream and Chocolate

This chocolate and ice cream dish is probably the easiest dessert you'll ever make.

It's certainly the easiest I know and is so very tasty.

We have it often as a special treat because it's delicious and takes just a couple of minutes to make. When I've cooked dinner, I don't have the time (or the patience!) to make elaborate desserts so this does the trick admirably.

It's flavored with beautiful Irish liqueur.What's interesting too is that I've made this for dinner parties too, and guests always love it.

It can be made in advance with the finishing touches being added just before serving. It looks quite elegant served in a well-shaped glass.

You can vary the quantities as much as you like and there's no measuring or weighing of ingredients to slow you down when you're making this quick and easy dessert. Although it contains chocolate, it's quite a light dessert but always feels like a super treat. I always have ice cream in the freezer and a bottle of Bailey's in the pantry - in fact, I think I need to make this for dessert tonight!

• Ice cream
• Chocolate
• Irish cream liqueur (Bailey's is best)
• Mint to garnish

You can vary the quantities as much as you want depending on your preferences.

• You'll need one glass per person so line these up on your countertop.
• Add a dollop of ice cream into the bottom of each glass. I tamp it down a little so the surface is flat.
• Take a bar of chocolate and shave it with a knife so that you have chocolate chips. (This is easier if you keep the chocolate in the fridge beforehand).
• Add a layer of chocolate flakes on top of the ice cream in each glass.
• Add another layer of ice cream. If you're using tall glasses such as champagne flutes, you can keep layering but end with a top layer of the ice cream.
• Gently heat Irish liqueur in a pan.
• With a skewer or pointed knife make small holes in the ice cream in the glasses. Go right down to the bottom of the glass if possible. If you're preparing this in advance you can now store the glasses in the fridge.
• When it's time to serve, pour a little warmed Irish liqueur into each glass. This will run down the holes and slightly melt the chocolate and the ice cream.
• Garnish with more shaved chocolate, mint leaves and serve.

• Use orange flavored chocolate and garnish with crystallized or candied orange. I always like to use Irish cream but I've used Cointreau on the orange version and it's just as good!
• Mint chocolate is very tasty and can be used for this dish.
• Add a layer of chopped nuts if you want to add crunchiness.
• It can of course be made with vegan ice cream and vegan chocolate. Disaronno Amaretto is a vegan liqueur and chopped almonds are a great addition.
• I've made this using Malibu (also vegan) instead of Irish cream and added shredded coconut - that's tasty!
• I've also make this with a layer of sliced strawberries in between the ice cream and the chocolate.
• The variations are endless!

My friend and her husband live on a boat. I thought we were very clever for living and working in an apartment that's under 450 square feet but Claire's boat is much smaller and they live on it full time. She keeps her kitchen appliances to an absolute minimum because of space restrictions but even so she has an ice cream maker!

All photographs taken my me during the preparation of this dessert.