I am so excited to introduce you to a friend and fellow organic foodie, Sarah De La Cruz! She runs an amazing vegan blog, Fried Dandelions, that is loaded with good info, inspiration and fabulous recipes. She has been so kind to share with us a few good thoughts and her favorite Double Chocolate Mint Chip Vegan Ice Cream Recipe…
Growing up, bowls of ice cream were an after school ritual in my family. You see, I’m the oldest of 5 kids, and my smart mom knew that sitting us all down with some ice cream would keep us all in the same spot for a few minutes while she could ask us all about our days. My favorite flavor was Mint Chocolate Chip—the scary green kind! I loved to pour a little bit of milk on top of it and let it turn into an icy, slushy treat!
Fast forward a few (ahem) years and I’m a plant strong vegan who avoids artificial colors and ingredients like the plague (they kind of are, aren’t they). Recently I’d had the chance to try a coconut milk based mint chocolate chip ice cream. I’d heard of it before and was always skeptical—how could coconut and mint go together? Wouldn’t the coconut be too strong? But it wasn’t—it was perfect, just how I’d remembered it, but vegan!
I’ve been on an ice cream kick this summer so I decided to try my own version. It is rich and creamy, made with good for you coconut milk and antioxidant rich cocoa powder. I sweeten it with only a quarter of a cup of maple syrup—just right. Make this ice cream for your next dinner party dessert—you’ll be sure to wow even the biggest skeptics!
I’ve been on an ice cream kick this summer so I decided to try my own version. It is rich and creamy, made with good for you coconut milk and antioxidant rich cocoa powder. I sweeten it with only a quarter of a cup of maple syrup—just right. Make this ice cream for your next dinner party dessert—you’ll be sure to wow even the biggest skeptics!
What You’ll Need:
Double Chocolate Mint Chip Ice Cream
1 can of coconut cream (thicker than canned coconut milk—I like Trader Joe’s brand, in the brown can)
¼ c maple syrup
¼ c cocoa powdered, unsweetened
2 t mint extract
2 ounces dark chocolate (I like Go Raw Chocolate)
1 T coconut oil, optional
Place cocoa powdered and maple syrup in a storage container (a large mason jar works great). Whisk the two together until you get a thick chocolate paste. You will think that I’m crazy and that it will never come together and as soon as you mutter those words the paste will form. Trust me!
Add the coconut cream and mint extract and mix well until it is fully combined. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 3 hours to chill (this will make the freezing process easier).
Once chilled, pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to machine instructions.
While it is churning, place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. If you would like, add the coconut oil as well.
The coconut oil will make the chocolate freeze into chips very easily, and will make it a little smoother to work with, but is by no means necessary so if you are watching your oil intake feel free to leave it out.
Place the bowl of chocolate in the microwave and heat for 1 minute until melted. Line a jelly roll pan (that fits in your freezer) with a piece of parchment paper and pour the chocolate on top. Use a spatula to spread it, almost like you are painting the parchment. Place it in the freezer to freeze.
Once the ice cream is nearly done, remove the now frozen chocolate from the freezer. Using a fork, break up the chocolate into flakes. You can pull at the edges of the parchment paper to help with this process. Don’t use your fingers or you will melt all of your chocolate! Add the flakes into the ice cream while churning and allow it to mix in.
Remove the ice cream from the ice cream maker and place into a storage container. You can eat the ice cream right away, or place it in the freezer to allow it to freeze completely. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving for easy scooping.
Enjoy!
Sarah is a wife, mom to a toddler, and loves to cook. She and her 2 1/2 year old son are vegan, and she makes family-friendly recipes that keeps her whole family, (even her non-veg husband) satisfied! She loves seeing the surprise on friends’ and family’s faces when she tells them that the dish they are enjoying is vegan! Check out more of her recipes at FriedDandelions.com
