Bobby, Lila, and Max got together in Portland’s East End to create and photograph a sundae bar that’s perfect for holiday festivities. We selected some of our favorite toppings and built our sundaes in mason jars, which are easy for folks to handle and allow for lots of layers and little mess. You can plan the same with a single trip to a good grocery store.

View the gallery on Facebook.

Topping Ideas

Pecans
English toffee
Marshmallows
Pomegranate seeds
Crystallized ginger
Thin gingersnap cookie pieces
Creme-filled chocolate cookies
Chocolate-covered pretzels
Thin mints
Peanut butter cups
Lila’s Quick Chocolate Sauce
Whipped cream

Lila’s Quick Chocolate Sauce

Lila’s Quick Chocolate Sauce is easy to make in a pinch!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup good semisweet or
bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream

Place the heavy cream in a small pot and heat for several minutes, until small bubbles start to form along the edges. Meanwhile, place the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Once the cream is scalded, pour it over the chocolate chips and let the bowl sit for about 30 seconds. Whisk the mixture until it is smooth. Drizzle on (or douse) your sundae.

Planning

We suggest Dark Chocolate Caramel Sea Salt Gelato, Madagascar Vanilla Bean Gelato, Raspberry Truffle Gelato, and Espresso Chip Gelato.

One pint provides enough gelato for three to four sundaes, provided you have lots of topping choices.

Let gelato sit for only a few minutes before serving. After sundaes are made, immediately return remaining pints to the freezer. Gelato is delicate, and does not re-freeze well if it has started to melt.