If you’re on the fence about vegan ice creams (don’t worry, we were also skeptical for a while), may we suggest this as the first flavor you try? It tastes just like frozen chocolate peanut butter cups, and we’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like those!
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Immersion blender
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (242 grams) coconut milk (see opposite)
1 cup (212 grams) Cashew Milk
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
¼ cup (40 grams) cocoa butter
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (40 grams) extra-virgin coconut oil
½ teaspoon (2 grams) kosher salt
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (46 grams) smooth all-natural peanut butter (see Ben’s Note)
3 tablespoons (32 grams) unrefined peanut oil
22 grams finely chopped bittersweet (72% cacao) chocolate
1. Pour the coconut and cashew milks into a tall (2-quart or larger) container and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons (40 grams) water and stir over low heat until the sugar has melted. Stir in the cocoa butter and coconut oil until melted. Stir in the salt until dissolved.
2. Gently pour the sugar mixture into the coconut milk mixture. Using an immersion blender, buzz the liquids together until emulsified. Add the peanut butter and peanut oil and use the immersion blender to buzz the mixture until emulsified. Cover and refrigerate the ice cream base until chilled, 1 to 2 hours. Do not refrigerate overnight. (If you must refrigerate overnight, “loosen” the solidified ice cream base by placing the container in a bowl with some warm water until it becomes more liquid.)
3. Pour the chilled ice cream base into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place the container in which you refrigerated the custard in the freezer so you can use it to store the finished ice cream. Churn the ice cream until the texture resembles “soft serve.” In the last minute of churning, add the chocolate chips and churn until incorporated. Transfer the ice cream to the chilled storage container and freeze until hardened to your desired consistency. Alternatively, you can serve it immediately—it will be the consistency of gelato. The ice cream will keep, frozen, for up to 7 days.
ben’s note Many peanut butter brands claim to be all natural, but the best one for this recipe, and the only true “all-natural” peanut butter, is the one that contains only one ingredient—peanuts. I recommend one without salt, too, since it works better in this recipe.