Name: Ice Cream - Vegan Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream (… and no ice cream maker!!!!) by Marie Chioca - Low GI
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 90 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 40 cl of coconut cream; 5 cl of agave syrup; 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract; 75 g of coconut sugar; 2 tablespoon of water; 0.5 vanilla bean; 60 g of pecan nut; 1 pinch of flower of salt

Ice Cream - Vegan Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream (… and no ice cream maker!!!!) by Marie Chioca - Low GI

To make ice cream, it is usually necessary to churn the mixture in an ice cream maker, as this prevents the formation of ice crystals, which can be unpleasant in the texture of the ice cream. But this somewhat "magical" recipe can completely bypass this step, as whipped coconut cream combined with agave syrup (which greatly slows down the formation of crystals) allows you to achieve an incredible texture! Do not add the nuts and caramel when they are too hot to the whipped coconut cream: it will cause it to deflate. They should be barely warm. Also note, from a dietary standpoint, that this recipe is "vegan", meaning it does not contain any animal products. It is therefore suitable for people who are intolerant to eggs and/or dairy products, for example. But even though it is plant-based and therefore a bit more digestible for some people, it doesn't mean that this ice cream is not a rich treat to be enjoyed in moderation! (Well, it's a bit difficult to stay moderate once you've tasted it, I must admit...)

Vegetarian Vegan Low GI

Course: Dessert

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 90 minutes

Rest time: 240 minutes

Cost per serving: 0,96 €

Instructions

1. 2 20 cl cartons of liquid coconut cream (ideally, the green carton from the "Kara" brand, which whips up really well) well chilled
2. Using a baby bottle, take out 7 cl of coconut cream and set aside for the caramel (if you don't have a baby bottle, you can also weigh 70g of coconut cream).
3. Pour the remaining opened carton, as well as the second carton, into the bowl of a stand mixer (or alternatively, a mixing bowl) along with the agave syrup and liquid vanilla extract. Put it in the freezer to chill the mixture while you continue with the rest of the preparation.
4. Cut the pecan nuts into large pieces with a knife (photo 1). Toss them in a sieve to remove any fine particles (which would be unpleasant in the texture of the ice cream). Set aside.
5. To make the caramel, put the coconut sugar in a small saucepan with the 2 tablespoons of water and a pinch of salt.
6. Split the vanilla bean in half, scrape out the seeds, and put everything (bean + seeds) into the small saucepan. Heat over low heat, and as soon as the mixture starts to foam well, cook for 30 seconds while stirring constantly. Then add the 7 cl of reserved coconut cream, the pieces of nuts, mix well and cook for another minute once it comes back to a boil, still stirring constantly.
7. Pour into a sieve (not plastic, as it is very hot!) placed over a small saucepan, to collect the caramelized nuts in the sieve and the caramel in the saucepan (photo 2). Let it cool slightly at room temperature while you make the coconut-vanilla cream.
8. Remove the mixture from the freezer. Whisk it for several minutes, either with a stand mixer or an electric whisk, until it forms stiff peaks (photo 4).
9. Pour half of the whipped cream into a dish (photo 5). Evenly distribute half of the cooled nuts on top (photo 6), then drizzle about one-third of the warm caramel over it. Pour the remaining whipped cream, smooth it out (photo 7), add the remaining nuts and another third of the caramel (photos 8 and 9). Give it a few delicate swirls with a spoon to lightly marble the ice cream (photo 10), then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before enjoying in bowls... or in biscuit cones!
10. *Very important note: Do not add all the caramel to the ice cream because while it is easy to add a little more if needed when serving, it is absolutely impossible to remove it if someone finds the ice cream too sweet! Personally, with all the caramel, I find it WAY too sweet... Maybe even just half of the caramel would be enough, but if you only make half of the recipe, it's a bit difficult to get the cooking right. For those who, like me, are a bit wary of overly sweet flavors, I therefore recommend making all the caramel, but only adding half of it to the ice cream. The rest can be stored in the fridge for several days to use as a topping for yogurt, cakes, fresh fruit...