Vegan Ice Cream

The website Nouveau Raw thoroughly details the ingredients and chemistry for successful raw, vegan ice cream. Fats, natural sweeteners, emulsifiers, ice crystals, and air all play a role in creating the decadent texture we've come to expect from an ice cream experience. 

AndyPDX offers an ice cream base that can easily be adapted and altered to ingredients on hand:  http://www.rawfreedomcommunity.info/forum/showthread.php?t=1707

Ice Cream Base

• 1 Cup raw cashews (soaked if using a blender, no soaking needed with Vitamix)
• 1 1/2 Cups liquid (water, almond milk, coconut milk, et cetera)
• 1/3 Cup liquid sweetener (maple syrup, malted barley, coconut nectar, agave)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 Cup dried soft fruit (apricots, dates, raisins or combination)
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons coconut butter or cocoa butter or young coconut meat OR
  1 Tablespoon non-GMO lecithin
• Base flavoring - this could be vanilla, peppermint, orange, almond, whatever is on hand and wants made into ice cream. Start with a teaspoon of the stronger flavors and work your way to the desired results.

When working with cashews, especially if they have not been soaked, start with just the cashews and add the liquid at a lower speed. This will help catch all of the nut pieces. Then continue to add the remaining ingredients and blend at a higher speed until really smooth and creamy.

Chill the ice cream base for a few hours in the refrigerator so that when placed in an ice cream maker, the ice or frozen bowl can continue to keep the ice cream cool.

When ready to make the ice cream, pour the base into the ice cream maker and follow the instructions for your specific ice cream maker. If you do not have an ice cream maker, one can often be obtained for a reasonable price at Big Lots. There are also methods for making ice cream without a maker, but I have no experience with this.

Check out AndyPDX's beautiful photos of delicious, raw vegan foods: http://www.flickr.com/photos/andypdx

       Photograph © by AndyPDX