Creamy, Smooth You Won't Believe It's Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream

August 09, 2015

Creamy, Smooth You Won't Believe It's Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream

Creamy, Smooth You Won't Believe It's Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream is just what the name says: creamy, smooth and totally unbelievable that there's no dairy in this ice cream. Cashew nuts and coconut milk are the secret to this indulgent dessert.

I know it's almost an oxymoron to say the words "vegan" and "fat" in the same sentence but it's true. I could start a blog called "The Fat Vegan" because I have been a fat vegan at one time in my life. I did loose about 25 pounds but then I learned how to really cook and bake delicious vegan goodies and the pounds came back. I think it may have been the introduction of chocolate cake and other tasty vegan desserts that could have tipped the scales so unfavourably against me. But, then again, I could have shut my mouth and let others do the eating. . .sigh. . . It was not to be. I'm not vegan now but we still eat vegan meals, not always by design, but just because the food happens to be totally free of animal products. Take potatoes for instance--totally vegan until you load them up with butter and cream.

I do, however, have friends who prefer to eat vegan meals and I'm always on the lookout for tasty offerings to tempt their impoverished palates (that was not kind) and prove my prowess in the kitchen.

Today I have hit the mother lode of rich vegan chocolate ice cream. It's so rich and creamy no one would suspect there's not a drop of dairy cream in this frozen delight. Actually, if I was serving this to the unsuspecting hordes, I'd dish it up and not say anything (unless someone had a nut allergy). When a vegan friend would hold up his hand to refuse I'd ever so graciously whisper in his ear that it was vegan. Then he could have the pleasure of watching those who make fun behind his back slurp down this delicious treat. It's just a win, win for me.

Enough of those devious plans of mine. This is also great for people who have allergies or food intolerances to dairy products and for anyone who just likes ice cream. Okay, let's get on to the ice cream and a few tips on making this as creamy and as vegany as can be.

✓ It is important the cashew nuts are soaked overnight or longer as the longer they soak the softer they become and therefore easier to blend into a smooth creamy mixture.

✓ Use only vegan products if serving a bona fide ethical vegan. Remember honey is not considered vegan.

✓ Any brand of full fat coconut milk will work. DO NOT USE FAT REDUCED COCONUT MILK.

✓ Use the cocoa powder if you want a richer chocolate flavour.

✓ Read the ingredients on the chocolate chip package. Some semi-sweet chocolate contains milk solids which are not vegan.

Finally, the recipe. . .

Printable recipe at bottom of post.

Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream
1 cup raw cashew nuts, soaked overnight or longer
1 can full fat coconut milk
3-4 tablespoons sweetener such as sugar, agave syrup or honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, optional
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Rinse and drain the soaked cashew nuts and place in the blender container. Add the coconut milk, sweetener, cocoa powder if using and the pinch of salt. Blend on low until combined and then turn on high and blend until the mixture is creamy and smooth without any visible grittiness. This may take some time if you do not have a heavy duty blender.   When the mixture is blended remove ½ cup and place in a microwaveable container. Lay this aside until needed.

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between until just barely melted. Stir to continue melting.   Heat the half cup of reserved cashew/coconut mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds or until hot but not boiling. Stir into the melted chocolate chips to make a thick ganache.

With the blender on low to medium speed, add the melted chocolate ganache mixture until well blended and no streaks of chocolate remain.

Refrigerate the chocolate ice cream mixture until thoroughly chilled. Freeze in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer's instructions. When finished churning pack the ice cream in a freezer container and let freeze and ripen several hours before serving.

If you do not own an ice cream freezer, place in the freezer of your fridge and stir every 15 minutes until frozen and thick.

Makes about 4 cups frozen ice cream.

Place the cashews, coconut milk, honey, vanilla and the pinch of salt in the blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. This may take awhile if you do not have a powerful blender.

If using cocoa add it to the creamed cashews and coconut milk and blend well.

Melt the chocolate chips and add the half cup of reserved hot cashew coconut cream. This will form a thick ganache.

With the blender on low to medium speed, add the melted chocolate ganache mixture until well blended and no streaks of chocolate remain.

Here's my little electric ice cream freezer. No ice, no salt, no mess.

When the ice cream mixture is chilled, freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

When the ice cream is churned, pack it in a container and continue to freeze and cure in a fridge freezer or deep freezer for at least 4 hours. If you do not own an ice cream freezer, place in the freezer of your fridge and stir every 15 minutes until frozen and thick.

Homemade ice cream will freeze much harder than the store-bought variety. You may need to remove the ice cream from your freezer a few minutes before serving to let it soften slightly so it will be easier to scoop.