Avocado Mint Choc Chip Ice-cream
Easy, dairy free, vegan avocado ice cream recipe
Raw vegan dessert recipes have a tendency to be nut heavy, so this avocado based ice-cream is a refreshing alternative.
Avocados are a fantastic choice for this ice cream as they contain very little sugar and starch, and being 30% oil (the good kind of fat) makes them very creamy. Avocados ripen after they have been picked, within a week of being harvested.You can speed up the ripening process by placing them in a paper bag with a ripe banana. The ethylene omitted from the banana accelerates the ripening process.
If you don’t want to make your own coconut milk, then you can use any dairy free milk instead. I like to use cacao nibs for the chocolate chips, but any dairy free chocolate chips will work. Or you can get your favourite chocolate bar and chop it up.
An important note on taste testing when making this ice cream: have a glass of water to hand and drink water before every taste. When you load the tasting spoon, take enough on the spoon to taste twice. This is particularly important when working with the oil of peppermint as you want these flavours to build over the course of eating the whole portion of ice cream, not to completely deliver everything in the first mouthful. If it delivers a whole lot of peppermint in the first mouthful, it is likely to be overwhelming by the time you get to the end of a portion. Flavours should build over time.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup mashed ripe avocado (about 1 and a half avocados)
250 ml (1 cup) coconut milk
1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon spirulina powder (optional)
3 tablespoons agave, rice syrup or maple syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons melted coconut oil
3 -6 drops Japanese oil of peppermint – to taste
2 tablespoons cacao nibs or dairy free chocolate chips
METHOD
In a high-speed blender, whizz together the mashed avocado, coconut milk, spirulina powder (if using) and salt. Then add the coconut oil and blend again.
Then add the sweetener and oil of peppermint, one drop at a time – blend and taste after each drop until you have the level of peppermint you desire.
Finally add the cacao nibs/chocolate chips. You can pulse the blender for a second to distribute the nibs evenly if you wish.
You can pour into moulds to freeze or use any of the methods below.
FREEZING ICE CREAM
Freezing the ice cream mixture in an ice cream maker will give you the best results. There are two basic types for home use. Ones that have a built-in freezer which makes ice creams in about 30 minutes and ones that have a bowl that you freeze, pour the ice cream custard into and then place in the freezer and churn every few hours. I like the Buffalo ice cream maker which is professional quality but a reasonable price and freezes from scratch.
A good standard of ice cream can also be achieved using the freezer and pan method and whisking, however it is the frequent churning which will give you a very smooth result. If you choose this methods, this ice cream recipe will require whisking 2- 3 times.
FREEZER METHOD
Your freezer should be between minus 18 C and minus 22 C. Use the fast freeze button on your freezer if you have one.
Pour your ice-cream mixture into a very shallow metal pan and put it in the bottom of the freezer for an hour or until the ice-cream is firm at the edges. Then, remove it from the freezer and whisk the ice-cream with a hand whisk. This breaks down any ice crystals that may have been formed.
Repeat this process every 45 minutes until the mixture is frozen.
Depending on your freezer, this could take between 3 – 6 hours.
Once completely frozen, cover with baking parchment to stop it coming into contact with air.
Remove from the freezer about 20 minutes before serving for an easy and delicious soft scoop.
ICE-CREAM MAKER METHOD
If you have an ice-cream maker: freeze the ice-cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions. You may need to keep an eye on the volume and take some of the mix out as ice-cream can expand as it churns and freezes.
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