The White Lady is a Sweet Treat

Pretty much any restaurant you go to in Belgium will have the country’s favorite dessert on the menu. That dessert is Coupe Dame Blanche – the “White Lady Sundae”, and I have never served it to anyone who did not think it was pure heaven.

Dame Blanche takes its name from an 1825 opera called La Dame Blanche by Francois-Adrien Boieldieu. Dames Blanche (white ladies) also hold a place in French and Belgian folklore. They were female spirits / supernatural beings you would encounter in the woods. Whichever version of the dessert’s name you choose, Coupe Dame Blanche is a dessert to die for. It consists of vanilla ice cream topped with a warm chocolate sauce and whipped cream, and it’s actually quite easy to make.

INGREDIENTS

  • Two tablespoons unsalted butter

  • One bar of high-quality Belgian dark chocolate

  • 1.5 ounces heavy whipping cream

  • 4 to 6 ounces whole milk

  • Eight ounces heavy whipping cream

  • 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

  • Vanilla ice cream

  • Pirouettes, pizzelles, or a cookie for garnish

    INSTRUCTIONS

  • Add vanilla to eight ounces of whipping cream and whip until it has soft peaks.

  • Melt butter in a double-boiler (a glass or metal bowl over a saucepan of boiling water works fine)

  • Break up chocolate bar and add it to the double-boiler. As it melts, gently whisk it until smooth.

  • Add 1.5 ounces of heavy cream and whisk in.

  • Slowly add the milk, a little at a time, whisking in as you go. When the mixture has a liquid consistency with no lumps or thickness, it is ready. Cut off the heat and let it rest in the double boiler. The consistency should be slightly thicker than Hershey’s syrup but not as thick as hot fudge.

  • Put the ice cream into serving bowls and spoon the warm chocolate sauce over it. Top with whipped cream and garnish with pirouettes, pizzelles, or a cookie of your choice. If you have extra chocolate sauce, serve it at the table in a gravy boat.

Make yourself some Coupe Dame Blanche soon and make extra, because there’s never quite enough, and it re-heats nicely!

Charlie Gottenkieny1 Comment