While I'd like to try to coconut bliss and other various forms of coconut milk made vegan ice cream, I just can't do it. Why? Because they cost $5 a pint and why pay that when I can throw whatever my little heart desires into a blender, toss it into the ice cream maker and have home made ice cream inside of 30 minutes? Yes, I used to eat lots of store bought vegan ice cream, and Turtle Mountain is still my favorite in that department. But now I can eat whatever imaginative flavor comes to my mind and not solely the ones that happen to be on sale that day.
This little guy is truly awesome. When I first started looking for an ice cream maker I was daunted by scary pictures of big blue tubs that required tons of ice and salt. Yeah... that's gonna happen. I was lucky enough to find one of these on Craigslist, but I would run out and buy one right now, if I were you, at full retail if I couldn't find a deal somewhere. I basically have ice cream on demand, (because I keep the freezer bowl in the freezer at ALL times - just in case the need arises) assuming I have a block of Mori-Nu Silken Tofu sitting in my fridge.
And making vegan ice cream is incredibly uncomplicated. If you already have the vegan bible (Veganomicon) you're set because Isa's basic recipe is golden and is what I usually base my creations off of. If you don't have it, there's this blog for your perusal: http://veganicecream.blogspot.com/. Most of these, if not all, recipes use milks and arrowroot - which isn't bad I just prefer the tofu. There are also other ice cream cook books like The Vegan Scoop and Lick It. The best part about making your own ice cream (aside from the feeling of accomplishment) is that you know exactly what's in it, which means you can alter the sugar, fat, etc. content to your liking.
One problem I have encountered with making ice cream yourself is how hard it gets after you stick it in the freezer over night. I don't like to have to chip my ice cream off with an ice pick. But, if you don't mind a little booze, I have a superb solution; put some in it. I add about 1/4 cup of rum or brandy to the ice cream mixture and I haven't had to break out the chainsaw since. Being that alcohol doesn't freeze, 1/4 cup is just enough to keep the ice cream from morphing into a solid rock. So there, catastrophe solved.
Some of my favorite concoctions so far have been pumpkin chocolate chip, rum raisin (with coconut milk), coffee ice cream with dark chocolate chunks and rum soaked cranberries, banana chocolate chip and cookies and cream. I'm thinking of making peanut butter and jelly next.... What can you come up with?
P.S. I'm sure this makes dairy ice cream just as well (if you swing that way). =)
