so so rich, you won’t even suspect it’s dairy-free
I have been exploring different recipes for vegan ice creams, and this one is the best by far! I followed the recipe from Minimalist Baker, which results in a creamy, rich, dark chocolate ice cream that’s vegan. I cooked the mixture on low heat on the stovetop for a little longer than the recipe outlined, which was effective in cooking off the coconut taste of the coconut milk. I also discovered that the recipe is better if you let it freeze overnight — it gets thicker, colder, and less prone to melting ice cream soup. The recipe call this a two-day process, but a three-day process will yield better results — it really is worth the extra day!
I am still looking into different ice cream recipes that are dairy-free. Of course there is sorbet, but that’s not really ice cream. I am planning on trying an oat ice cream soon, which gets its creaminess from some nut butter. This ice cream tasted custardy almost, even though there were no eggs in it. I might try aquafaba ice cream recipes too. I would also like to remake some of Ben and Jerry’s classic flavors: Chunky Monkey and Cherry Garcia, to see if I can make an accessible vegan version at home.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/4 cups coconut milk
- 2/3 cup organic cane sugar
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 6 ounces vegan dark chocolate (chips or chopped)
- splash of vanilla extract
Directions:
- Day 1: Put your ice cream maker bowl in the freezer to chill properly.
- Add all ingredients excluding chocolate and vanilla to a saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, whisking periodically.
- Increase the heat and bring to a low boil, then remove from heat. Add the chocolate and vanilla, then whisk until chocolate is completely melted.
- Transfer to a glass container and allow it to cool, uncovered, on the counter top. Once cooled significantly, transfer to the fridge.
- Day 2: Transfer the ice cream mix to the ice cream maker bowl and churn for 30–45 minutes, until it reaches the consistency of soft-serve. While churning, put a loaf pan in the freezer.
- Transfer to the frozen loaf pan, then cover with tin foil. Return to freezer and allow to freeze overnight for best results.
- Day 3: Now you can finally eat the ice cream! Enjoy!
