As I have gotten older, I’ve noticed that my tolerance for dairy has decreased. My tummy hurts after I eat too much cheese or ice cream, but it’s usually OK in low doses. The same thing happened to my husband. The two of us switched from drinking skim milk to soy milk, and it’s made a big difference in our digestive systems. We still indulge in ice cream, of course, but we just don’t eat the same amounts as we used to.
I’ve made a lot of ice cream on this blog, and I thought it would be nice to make a non-dairy (and optional vegan) version. I bought a can of coconut cream from Trader Joe’s and wanted to make some ice cream with it, so here it is. If you want to buy coconut cream like I did, be sure that you don’t buy “cream of coconut” from the store because those have extra sugar and preservatives added.
This recipe could not have been easier to make. You literally dump everything in the blender, turn it on, and then transfer to a freezer-safe bowl to freeze. That’s it. The hardest thing is cleaning the blender (or waiting for the ice cream to chill).
The chocolate coconut milk ice cream was a surprisingly good alternative to traditional ice cream. The coconut cream made the ice cream smooth and creamy and only really lacked the nice, thick texture from the lack of heavy cream. What I liked about this ice cream is that it didn’t freeze up with ice crystals like many non-dairy frozen concoctions. I prefer my ice creams a bit on the sweeter side, so next time I may add a bit more honey. Other than that, I’m happy to have found a dairy-free alternative to one of my favorite treats.
Chocolate coconut milk ice cream
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce can full-fat unsweetened coconut milk (I used Trader Joe's coconut cream)
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Using a blender, blend all the ingredients together until it is smooth.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 4-6 hours or until firm. Alternatively, you can pour the liquid into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's directions before transferring to a freezer-safe container.
- Scoop and enjoy. If the ice cream is too hard to eat, let it thaw for 15-20 minutes before serving.