I am in love with this book! I love making ice cream at home – I have posted 27 of my own recipes – but I haven’t been making ice cream lately. I sold my house and put my ice cream maker is in storage, so luckily, this new book is out now to inspire us all!
It’s called Incredible Vegan Ice Cream, it’s by Deena Jalal of FoMu Ice Cream in Boston, it’s published by my publisher Page Street, and it’s got 60 flavors that are not only creative, but easy, and made with super clean ingredients. I know it’s delicious because on a recent trip to Boston, I got to try it IRL (in real life!)
And honestly, I can’t say enough about this book! There are recipes for all kinds of flavors, from familiar flavors from childhood like mint and chocolate (both of which I was given permission to reprint here below) to a variety of decadent flavors.
From the bakery, we have Peanut Butter Mud Pie and Blueberry Shortbread, from the market there is Sweet Lavender and Strawberry Rhubarb, from around the globe, we have Black Sesame and Rosewater Saffron (a flavor I have on my list to develop but now I don’t have to!), and over the top recipes like Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies, Salted Honeycomb, and Vanilla Bean Caramel.
Everything is made with as few ingredients as possible and call for an ice cream maker. Since my ice cream maker is packed away, I am going to try to making them in my Vitamix. Follow me on Instagram to see if it works! In the meantime, go to town in your own home, and if you are ever in Boston, visit FoMu. It’s definitely worth it!
Fresh Mint Chunk
Makes about 1 quart (272 g)
You have probably seen mint chocolate chip, in all of its bright green glory, on just about every ice cream shop menu. This recipe is a little different. It has no artificial color and calls for fresh mint leaves instead of mint flavoring. The mint leaves are cooked down into a syrup and added to the base for a refreshing, herbal-tasting mint ice cream. Most mint varieties will work, but the flavor may vary slightly, so feel free to experi-mint!
½ cup (100 g) packed fresh mint leaves
½ cup (100 g) organic unrefined cane sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) water
2 cups (480 ml) all-natural canned coconut milk
1 tbsp (15 ml) organic agave
½ tsp peppermint oil (optional)
¾ cup (112 g) dark chocolate, roughly chopped
In a small saucepan, simmer the fresh mint, cane sugar, and water over medium heat until it is slightly reduced, for about 7 minutes. You should be left with about 2 /3 cup (160 ml) of concentrated mint syrup. Let the syrup cool to room temperature, then pass it through a fine-mesh sieve, making sure to squeeze out all of the syrup from the mint leaves. Discard the mint leaves.
Use a high-speed or immersion blender to mix the mint syrup, coconut milk, agave, and peppermint oil, if you’re using it. Chill the mixture for at least 2 hours, or overnight. This will give the base an opportunity to perfume and come to a better churning temperature.
Add the chilled mixture to your ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When the base has the consistency of a thick milkshake, transfer the ice cream to a shallow, wide, freezer-safe container, and fold in the dark chocolate chunks. Smooth the top of the ice cream and cover it tightly. Freeze it for at least 5 to 6 hours, or until it is firm.
Store this ice cream in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Chocolate Pudding
Makes 1 quart (272 g)
I am going to go out on a limb and say that this is probably one of the best chocolate ice creams you will ever make or eat. It is rich and dense and reminiscent of a homemade chocolate pudding—hence the name. The ingredients are simple, so source the best quality versions you can find. I use a super high-quality Dutch-process cocoa for a smooth and rich chocolatey scoop, and I recommend using a fair trade and sustainable variety whenever possible. You can also add high-quality espresso to deepen the chocolate flavor.
2½ oz (70 g) premium Dutch-process cocoa, weighed
2½ cups (600 ml) all-natural canned coconut milk
¼ cup (50 g) organic unrefined cane sugar
½ cup (120 ml) organic agave
Pinch of sea salt
2 tbsp (30 ml) espresso (optional)
Sift the cocoa and set it aside. Use a high-speed or immersion blender to mix the coconut milk, sugar, agave, salt, and the espresso, if you’re using it. Add the cocoa and blend the ingredients until they are thoroughly combined. Chill the mixture for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Add the chilled mixture to your ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Most machines take 10 to 15 minutes depending on the temperature of the mix, and when it’s finished it should have the consistency of soft serve. Transfer the ice cream to a large freezer-safe container. Wide and shallow containers work well for mixing, freezing, and scooping later on. Smooth the top, and cover it. Freeze it for at least 5 to 6 hours or until it is firm.
Depending on the temperature of your freezer you may want to set the ice cream out for 5 to 10 minutes to soften it before serving. This ice cream will keep in the freezer for a couple of weeks in an airtight container, but is best when it’s fresh.
Reprinted with permission from Incredible Vegan Ice Cream by Deena Jalal, Page Street Publishing Co. 2019. Photo credit: Emily Kan.