When I was little, there was no recipe I enjoyed more than making homemade ice cream. Yes, this was even when I had to crank the handle or put up with recipes that took several steps - even though it requires effort, I just love homemade ice cream much more than the stuff in the grocery freezer section.
Here in Portland, we have many dairy-free friends, and as we've already discussed, you can treat yourself even if you are dairy-free. So, to celebrate the season change, I set out to create a dairy-free ice cream recipe, using almond milk. My path led me to a creative ice cream concoction: mocha.
One of the most important things for me when it comes to ice cream is the texture. So for this recipe, I'm including not one, but two crunchy ingredients to help bring more flavor and a lovely crunch. I think you and your guests will love it.
Our local Safeway has no shortage of almond milk and other alternative milk choices, but Silk has a new almond milk flavor blend, called Almond Coconut, which I thought would be the perfect complement to the flavor profile of the coffee, chocolate, and almond. We used the unsweetened, but if you prefer a sweeter ice cream, you might want to opt for the sweetened.
IMPORTANT: This recipe requires prep the day before. Don't have dinner party disappointment - plan ahead! If you don't let the base sit set overnight, your ice cream may not set properly.
(Really want a milk ice cream recipe? Try out Bailey's Ice Cream or the wonderful Biscoff Swirl Ice Cream.)
Crunchy Mocha Ice Cream Recipe
You don't have to have heavy cream to make your ice cream set. In this case, we're making a custard base using egg yolks.
- 3 1/2 cups Silk Almond Milk, Coconut Blend
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup cold-brew coffee
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup chocolate-covered coffee beans, lightly ground
- 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips, lightly ground
Preparation:
Heat your almond milk on the stove top until it starts to steam. Do not boil. Remove from heat.In your mixer, beat the egg yolks on medium speed until they begin to appear light and airy (approximately 2-3 minutes). Slowly pour the hot almond milk into your egg yolk mixture, ensuring your mixer is always mixing so your eggs don't scramble. Don't run the mixer on high speed or your mixture might get too foamy.
After thoroughly incorporated (approximately 5 minutes), place your almond milk and egg mixture into a double broiler or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, and continue to cook the custard, stirring constantly. You'll want to cook the custard until it starts to stick to the back of a wooden spoon.
Once you feel your custard is cooked, remove it from heat and continue to stir slowly as it cools. At this point, add your cold brew espresso. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap - allowing to wrap to cover the top of the custard - and then place the bowl overnight in the refrigerator.
The next day, pour your mixture into your ice cream machine. Add in your chocolate-covered coffee beans and chocolate chips. Process the mix according to the manufacturer's instructions.
If you aren't going to serve the ice cream right away, put the container into the freezer and remove 5-10 minutes before you are ready to enjoy. Serve with a couple of chocolate-covered coffee beans on the side - and set up an after dinner coffee bar if you really want to make the scene complete!
If you wanted to have wine with dessert, I would suggest Malbec or Merlot, something with lush red and black fruits to really smooth out the coffee and cream notes. But this elegant treat is pretty darn fine all by its self.
This recipe has been brought to you by Silk. Visit Silk on Facebook for more almond milk recipes.
