Given that ice cream, gelato, sorbet or even “nice cream” are indulgences, here is an alternate name. As nice cream usually refers to a banana-based treat (my adaptation in Notes below), I’m going for “v’ice” — short for vegan ice.
The vanilla mock ice cream is adapted from Silk’s recipe. The chocolate version is from King Arthur, which is based on that of David Lebovitz that I’ve also made. Each makes just under 1 quart.
Vanilla V’Ice
- 1 3/4 cups plant milk
- 1 3/4 cups (liquid) dairy-free coffee creamer
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons vodka or other liquor (optional)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract OR vanilla flavoring
- Set a small (2-quart) saucepan on medium heat. Place in it all ingredients except cornstarch, vanilla and optional vodka. Bring to soft boil then reduce to simmer, no more than 10 minutes total, stirring frequently.
- Remove from heat. Put 1/4 cup of the mixture into cup or ramekin and add cornstarch, mixing thoroughly. Stir that back into the mixture and let thicken 20 minutes. Stir in vanilla and optional vodka.
- Cool to room temperature. Pour into a 1 quart, freezer-safe, food storage container with lid. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
- Process in ice cream maker 15-20 minutes. Scoop with rubber spatula into the 1-quart container and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour. Or serve immediately as a soft-serve, freezing any left for later.
Chocolate V’Ice
- 198 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 57 g (2/3 cup) cocoa powder (Dutch process recommended but any type is fine)
- 85 g (1/2 cup) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips or finely chopped baking chocolate
- 510 g (2 1/4 cups) water
- 2 Tablespoons vodka or other liquor (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract OR vanilla flavoring
- Set a small (2-quart) saucepan on medium heat. Place in it all ingredients except vanilla and optional vodka. Bring to soft boil then reduce heat, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar and cocoa powder and fully melt chips. This should take no more than 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and let cool 10 minutes. Stir in vanilla and optional vodka.
- Cool to room temperature. Pour into a 1 quart freezer-safe food storage container with lid. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
- Process in ice cream maker 15-20 minutes. Scoop with rubber spatula into the 1-quart container and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour. Or serve immediately as a soft-serve, freezing any left for later.
Notes
- I use an electric ice cream maker where you freeze the canister in advance. It only holds 1 quart so the vanilla’s ingredient amounts are adjusted from the original recipe.
- By using the quart food container to cool the “custard base,” you don’t really lose any when you scoop the ice cream back into it after processing in the machine.
- The non-dairy creamers in the vanilla help thicken the ice cream (rather its custard-like base) more from its stabilizers than any fat.
- Due to the absence of dairy or much fat in general, the ice cream needs to be out of the freezer a few minutes before scooping.
- The optional vodka (or another liquor) keeps the ice cream from freezing quite so hard.
- Variation on the vanilla. When stirring in vanilla in Step 2, add 1/2 teaspoon chai tea spice blend powder. That’s just the spice flavoring for the tea without any tea leaves. Use a chai masala that has little or no black pepper.
- Note on the chocolate. The original version and similar recipes advise a bit of instant coffee to deepen the flavor. If you want a mocha, there you go, but with good quality baking cocoa and baking chocolate it is overkill.
- Banana “nice cream”:
- 2-4 ripe bananas (10-12 oz. total)
- 4 oz. plant milk, divided use
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons liquor, optional, changes the freezing point for serving ease, or a liqueur as it also lends its flavor
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa baking powder, optional, for chocolate nice cream
- Cut the peeled bananas in chunks and freeze. Place them with other ingredients to a food processor, starting with half of the plant milk. Process about 2 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape sides with soft spatula and add remaining plant milk, until fully pureed. Turn out into a food storage container and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour. Makes 3-5 half-cup servings.
- I have been finding this banana-based confection satisfying, even filling, probably because of the fruit’s fiber. Healthier in a word.
