Thai Vegan Coconut Ice Cream

The Blender Girl's Note:

This vegan coconut ice cream was inspired by my many trips to Thailand and is absolutely divine! One really important thing about making coconut ice cream – the base must be really well chilled before churning in the ice cream maker or the ice cream will be too soft and slushy. Try and chill it for a minimum of three or fours hours. Overnight is actually preferable for the best results. Even then, I find that the ice cream never gets to a consistency beyond that of frozen yoghurt in the machine. I like to transfer the ice cream into the freezer for a few hours to solidify it a bit more before serving. I like to add natural coconut flavoring in order to accent the coconut flavor. But it is also wonderful with vanilla extract. It is all a matter of personal preference. You could also add in more shredded coconut if you prefer a crunchier texture. You can also add in cacao powder or fruit to the mix too. But I like it just like this!

• Total Time: 10 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4-6

Yield: 1.0 pint

• 3 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut cream (about 2 standard 14 ounce/400ml cans)
• 3/4 cup raw agave nectar
• 1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt
• 2 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
• 1 cup organic shredded coconut
• 1 teaspoon coconut flavoring, alcohol free (or 1 tsp natural alcohol free vanilla extract)
• organic soaked and dehydrated nuts (to garnish) (optional)

Directions:

1. Stir the arrowroot into 1/2 cup of cold coconut milk.
2. Heat the rest of the coconut milk, agave and salt in a saucepan until well combined. Just about a minute.
3. Stir in the arrowroot mixture and stir on medium/low heat until thickened – about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the coconut essence and shredded coconut and allow to cool.
5. Transfer to a bowl and chill in the fridge for at least a few hours (overnight is preferable) until really cold.
6. Process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
7. Place in the freezer to solidify and serve serve garnished with nuts and toasted coconut flakes IF it makes it that far! YUM!
8. If the consistency gets really grainy – place in your blender and pulse quickly before serving to cream it up a bit.