You all know I love ice cream by now – exhibits A, B, and C – but dairy doesn’t always do me favors. Yes, vegan ice creams do exist. However, coconut milk doesn’t always jibe with my system, either. I was lamenting this fact to John recently when he suggested I try another recipe that’s dairy-free but without coconut. One milk that’s never done me wrong is almond milk, so I knew that would replace my half and half . And to keep it thick and creamy, I knew I would need a more traditional ice cream base. To the drawing board I went. This ice cream recipe is dairy-free, however, not vegan. I understand it’s not for everybody, but for those of us who are are OK with eating eggs but can’t have dairy, this is the recipe for you. I started with an egg yolk and sugar base. Look how creamy it got! Alton Brown taught me that I should look for the “ribbon effect” while whisking. I think I achieved that, eh? Next I whisked the almond milk and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat, tempered the eggs, and mixed it all together with a touch of xanthan gum for extra thickness and a hint of vanilla for more complex flavor. Into the ice cream maker it went and I got super stoked when I sampled a bite and it tasted dreamy. After a few hours in the freezer, it somehow got even better. This ice cream is thick, creamy, sweet, and satisfying, even though it doesn’t have that stereotypical “creaminess” that comes from full-fat whipping cream. That’s the kind of thickness that pains my stomach anyway, so I’m OK with a different kind of luxurious (as long as I’m getting my ice cream fix). This first experiment was a total success, so I I can’t wait to try even more flavors and mix-ins.
