ice cream Archives -

February 24, 2017

A Very Simple Ice Cream Cake

My oldest turn ten years old this week. Recalling very clearly those earlier years of being a new mom, I often wondered why the days seemed to crawl along so slowly. Quite the opposite now, I find myself grasping to hold on to each moment, wanting him to grow up and at the same time not wanting him to grow up. I’m sure those of you with kids can relate. He gave me very specific instructions for his birthday cake this year. An ice cream cake with chocolate and mint chocolate chip ice creams, crushed cookies and fudge sandwiched in the middle, no whipped cream. Of all the birthday cakes I’ve made, this one was by far the easiest. And yet, he declared it my best cake ever, reminding me that more time invested does not always mean better.

June 15, 2016

Toasted Almond Coconut Ice Cream

As we approach the official start of summer, there is so much anticipation and excitement about the months ahead. Among the many delights of summertime, for me homemade ice cream comes near the top. There’s nothing quite like the taste and texture of freshly made ice cream. When Dream sent me a box of their new Ultimate Almond Beverages, homemade ice cream immediately came to mind. Dream Ultimate Almond is made with four times as many almonds as their original almond drink so it’s rich and creamy with a concentrated almond flavor. For the ice cream, I combined it with coconut milk cream for a nice balance between the almonds and coconut. Throughout the ice cream are bits of toasted almonds for a pleasant crunch, and the shredded coconut reminds me a bit of eating a macaroon coookie. Toasting the almonds and coconut are absolutely essential for depth as are both the coconut sugar and maple syrup for flavor, so no substitutes here. With three months of summer ahead, I hope it’s filled with plenty of good ice cream.

April 29, 2015

Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Maple Rum Raisin Sauce

I recently noticed that so far I have not a single post for ice cream on this site and I’m out to change that today. Ice cream used to be my absolute favorite dessert and I once had constant cravings for it every evening. We almost always kept a supply of ice cream in the freezer just for those times when I could not do without. After gradually incorporating more whole foods and natural sweeteners into our lifestyle, I can honestly say that those cravings no longer exist. I do enjoy desserts, but I rarely crave them the way I used to. That being said, it’s hard to resist a good quality ice cream if put in front of me. This non-dairy Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream is creamy, not at all grainy, and naturally sweetened with raw honey. It’s slightly adapted from Amy Chapin’s beautiful cookbook, At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen. In addition to using full-fat coconut milk, she also uses cashews, which lends to this ice cream’s rich creaminess. The coconut flavor is there, although it is not as pronounced as you might think it would be. By itself, this ice cream is pure, simple, and subtly sweet. When paired with juicy, plump, rum-soaked raisins in maple sauce, it becomes divine. This sauce would be perfect for bringing along to ice cream social gatherings or would make a wonderful gift when put in a pretty jar. Or you could just keep it for yourself. That’s what I did.

Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Maple Rum Raisin Sauce

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

¾ cup cashews, soaked for 2-6 hours
2 (13.5-ounce) cans full fat coconut milk
1 vanilla bean
pinch sea salt
⅓ cup raw honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Maple Rum Raisin Sauce

½ cup raisins
3 tablespoons rum
1 cup maple syrup
¼ cup maple sugar
2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Drain and rinse cashews and place in a high-speed blender. Add coconut milk and blend on the highest speed until completely smooth. Line a fine mesh strainer with a double layer of cheese cloth. Pour cashew mixture through the strainer into a medium sized pot. (If using a Vitamix or other high-powered blender, the straining step can be skipped.) Twist the ends of the cheesecloth together and gently squeeze the remaining liquid out. Discard the solids or save for a later use.
Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Whisk in the the vanilla bean seeds and salt to the coconut cashew mixture. Add the vanilla bean pod and simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Remove from heat, cool 5 minutes, and discard vanilla bean pod. Add honey and vanilla and whisk until honey is completely dissolved.
Refrigerate mixture until thoroughly chilled.
Churn the ice cream in an ice cream maker according to manufacture instructions. This can be served right out of the ice cream maker or placed in the freezer for a firmer texture. If left in the freezer for more than a few hours, allow ice cream to thaw for 20-30 minutes before serving. Serve with Maple Rum Raisin Sauce.

Maple Rum Raisin Sauce

In a small bowl, combine the raisins and rum. Allow raisins to soak and soften for 15 minutes or so.
In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the syrup, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of water. Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the raisins and rum along with the butter. Simmer on low heat for 2-3 minutes. Serve warm for a thinner consistency or chilled for a thicker consistency. This will keep for several weeks when stored in the refrigerator.

Notes

-ice cream slightly adapted from Amy Chapin's At Home in the Whole Foods Kitchen
-maple rum raisin sauce from Deborah Madison's The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone