VEGAN CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM
You might think of chocolate as a strong flavor that will overpower the taste of coconut. However, perhaps because the two are complementary flavors, you taste both in this recipe, but in such a way that it still remains very much a chocolate ice cream. It’s rich and luxurious and has been, unsurprisingly, wildly popular since its launch. Because it contains cocoa solids in addition to the coconut and cashew milks, it’s a little higher in fat than some other vegan ice cream flavors and thus tastes a little fuller.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Immersion blender
1 cup (212 grams) coconut milk
1 cup (212 grams) Cashew Milk
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (125 grams) granulated sugar
¼ cup (40 grams) cocoa butter
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (40 grams) extra-virgin coconut oil
40 grams unsweetened chocolate (99% cacao), preferably Michel Cluizel (see Sources)
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (16 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon (2 grams) kosher salt
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 plus 2 teaspoons (40 grams) water and stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the cocoa butter, coconut oil, chocolate, and cocoa powder until melted and uniform. 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. 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.” 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.