Coconut Milk Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream
yields: 1 .5 quarts
Easy vegan vanilla ice cream that is so creamy and rich no one will believe it's vegan. The coconut cream base takes a subtle backstage to aromatic vanilla bean. Use this ice cream as a base recipe for different flavor add-ins!
Ingredients
- 1 13.66 to 16 oz canned coconut cream, (I've tested with one 14-ounce can or three 5.4 ounce cans - I use Native Forest brand available at Whole Foods, some other major groceries, or online. See note.)
- 1 13.66-ounce can full fat coconut milk, (Thai Kitchens brand available at most major grocery stores or online)
- ¾ cup raw turbinado sugar, or cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, or light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon vodka, optional, but will make it creamier
- 2 whole vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped (or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract) (I use Rodelle vanilla beans)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Warm coconut cream, coconut milk, sugar, corn syrup, coconut oil, vodka, vanilla bean seeds and pod, and salt in a medium pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the cream begins to simmer, remove the pot from heat. Cover and let the mixture steep for 20 minutes. Remove the bean pod, scraping out the insides of the pods for all that vanilla goodness. Reserve the pods to make vanilla extract.
- Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice cubes and water.
- Pour the base into a large 1-gallon Ziploc bag. Seal it and submerge the mixture in the ice bath until cold, about 30 minutes. (You can also skip this step by refrigerating until the mixture is cold, about 4 hours).
- Pour the ice cream base into the bowl of your pre-frozen ice cream maker. Follow the directions on your ice cream maker to churn the base into ice cream, until it is the consistency of soft-serve, about 15-18 minutes.
- Pack the ice cream into an air-tight storage container or a metal loaf pan, pressing a sheet of parchment paper directly against the ice cream.
- Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
Notes
I do not recommend using the coconut cream from Trader Joe's as they seem to have updated their supplier and the new consistency is a bit oily.
(Adapted from Serious Eats)
