Creamy Non-Dairy Coconut Ice Cream

When I was in Denver a few weeks ago, Sarah and I were at the grocery store grabbing ingredients to make dinner that night. Sarah had an ice cream machine that she wanted to take for a spin, and she got absolutely no objections from me. The tricky part was that Kyle has a milk allergy. After a quick Internet search I found this recipe for a non-dairy coconut ice cream. Sarah already had most of the ingredients and the directions seemed pretty simple, so we gave it a try. I am so glad we did.

This ice cream is delicious. And not just delicious compared to other non-dairy ice creams. It is creamy, rich and very coconut-y. It isn't a compromise.

This recipe is so easy; don't be fooled by the number of steps. Hands on time is only around 15 minutes. I have a feeling this will be a staple in our house.

Creamy Coconut Ice Cream

Recipe modified slightly from here

Ingredients:

• 2 (15-ounce) cans coconut milk
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 8 ounces shredded coconut
• 3 ounces non-dairy bittersweet chocolate

Directions:

At least 24 hours before making your ice cream, put the ice cream machine bowl in the freezer and freeze until solid.

• Shake the cans of coconut milk and set aside 1/2 cup of milk. Pour the remaining coconut milk into a 2-quart sauce pan. Add honey and salt to the pan.
• Warm the coconut milk over medium-low heat until the honey has completely dissolved, 1-2 minutes.
• Add the cornstarch to the reserved coconut milk, whisking thoroughly until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Pour the mixture into the warm coconut milk while whisking gently.
• Increase the heat to medium and continue cooking the base until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon (see picture below), 6-8 minutes. Do not let the mixture come to a boil (though mine did and it still turned out OK).
• Remove the base from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
• Pour the base into a shallow container and cool in the refrigerator for at least a few hours or up to 3 days.
• While the base is cooling, turn your oven to 400 degrees. Spread your coconut flakes in a shallow layer on a baking sheet and toast until slightly browned, 5-8 minutes. Check the flakes frequently to prevent burning.
• Chop your chocolate into small, bite-sized pieces.
• Remove ice cream base from the refrigerator and pour into your ice cream maker. Churn for 15 minutes. Add coconut flakes and chocolate. Continue churning for another 10 minutes.*
• You now have soft serve ice cream. Eat immediately, or store in an airtight container in the freezer.

* I use a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker (non-affiliate link). Follow your maker's instructions.