Coconut-Vanilla Bean Ice

Try this delicious coconut ice cream. It's my favorite, and brings with it the flavors of my home town in San Germán, Puerto Rico. Every afternoon after 3PM we would walk down the hill to the ice cream cone bar, Helados Chinos. It was a tiny place where the only Chinese family in the area had opened an ice cream bar many years before, and was now run by their children. The ice cream was made right in their store, and interestingly, the original owners had been smart enough to open their ice cream business right next door to the ice plant, this being the only location in our town that sold ice. I imagine this smart location provided them with the ice needed, since those were the days when anyone lucky enough to have refrigeration had to schedule ice blocks deliveries and put their ice in their "ice box".  Although I now make ice cream in a small electric ice cream maker, it can also be made in a tray. Sometimes If I've forgotten to place the machine bowl in the freezer the night before I just make ice cream cubes and then run through the blender to soften and eat like a slushy. ​

INGREDIENTS​ 

• 2/14 ounce cans coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or may use melted coconut oil
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 pods vanilla beans, scraped (1/4 tsp)  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Number of Servings: 8 - Portion size: 1/2 cup
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 10 hours (includes freezing)

SERVING IDEAS

• ​With tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango, papaya, bananas
• Topped with cinnamon  and a stick ofcinnamon  
• With a cookie on the side
• In an ice cream cone
• In a float or smoothie 
• As a topping for a slice of fruit pie

METHOD

1. ​Chill coconut milk for 24 hours
2. In a blender, food processor or  smoothie machine, mix all ingredients and process until mixed well
   
3. If using coconut oil melt it first then add last while blending at high speed to avoid it hardening and separating (this process should emulsify the oil)  
4. Taste and adjust sweetness. The colder a food the less sweet it tastes. If desired you may also add a bit more vanilla extract or  beans
5. If using the ice cream maker, pour in the bowl and follow the manufacturer instructions to churn. Over-churning will turn it grainy
6. Cover and place in the freezer for at least 5 hours. It should be firm but creamy
7. Take the ice cream out  of the freezer for about 5 minutes before serving in bowls or cones

lovingly created by digtheisland
inspiration from The Minimalist Baker

 
 

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SOME USEFUL NOTES

• I prefer using So Delicious  dairy free culinary grade coconut  milk culinary grade coconut milk; 1/11 oz carton = 1/14 oz can. You can make up the 4 oz difference in volume with coconut water, plain water or additional coconut milk, or for a richer ice use 4 oz coconut cream or just get a slightly smaller yield - it won't make a big difference in the quality or flavor 
• Some ice cream maker instructions have the ice cream "cure" right inside the churning bowl. Others have you transfer it to a chilled freezer safe bowl.
•  Whenever transferring ice cream to another bowl or container be sure to freeze it for at least 4 hours so none of the ice cream will melt
• To scoop ice cream easily I like to heat the scoop by dipping it in hot water then shaking it off
•  Although this ice cream won't last long, it will keep covered in the freezer for up to a week.

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