Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream

First post in over 1 1/2 years! I'm on a roll. 

So the other day my kids were complaining that we didn't have any ice cream. Most of the time we don't have ice cream in the house, but it's been really hot the last few weeks and they want (need?) ice cream. So I got out my ice cream maker for the first time in a very long time, and threw together some ice cream. I made this up as I went along and it turned out really yummy. More of a dark chocolate and was very creamy and smooth. Super simple and quick too.

1 1/2 cups heavy cream (cold)
3/4 cup regular coconut milk (not lite - cold)
3/4 cup organic whole cane sugar (I use Rapadura brand)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients together with an immersion blender or in a regular blender. You could use a food processor as well. Pour into your ice cream maker and process until it's a soft-serve consistency. Mine took 20 minutes. Put the ice cream into a freezer-proof container and chill in the freezer for two hours to firm up. 

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter & Chocolate

Peanut Butter Chocolate Ice Cream

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup half & half
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips (cold)



1. In a medium bowl combine all ingredients except the chocolate chips and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. (If you don't have an immersion blender you can use a regular blender or a food processor)
2. Chill in the refrigerator until very cold.
3. Process in an ice cream maker until the mixture is a firm soft-serve consistency.
4. Mix in the chocolate chips.
5. Transfer mixture to a container and freeze until firm.

My Conclusion~

This is really, really good ice cream. The peanut butter flavor is spectacular and the chocolate just adds to it. The texture is creamy. I didn't want to stop eating it! I wouldn't change a thing.

Reviews~

Mr. Brown Chick - Absolutely loved it!

Tween Chick - Awesome!

Little Chick - Yummy!

Baby Chick - Too young to eat peanut butter.

Double Chocolate Ice Cream

Double Chocolate Ice Cream ~

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 cups half & half

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup corn starch

1 pinch salt

1/2 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. In a medium pan whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, corn starch and salt until well blended.

2. Slowly whisk the half & half into the dry mixture, then whisk in the cream and vanilla extract.

3. Stir in the chocolate chips.

4. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture just starts to boil and thicken.

5. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate until cold, several hours or overnight.

6. Turn on your ice cream maker and pour the cold mixture into the machine.

7. Churn until the mixture is a firm soft-serve consistency.

8. Pour into a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, several hours.

My Conclusion ~

Great chocolate flavor. Creamy texture. Scoops well. Delicious! I don't think that I would change a thing.

Reviews ~

Mr. Brown Chick: Very good!

Tween Chick: It's the best thing that has ever gone in my mouth.

Little Chick: Yummy!

Baby Chick: Took one taste and wanted more.

Fresh Peppermint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Fresh Peppermint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream~

2 cups half & half

1 cup fresh peppermint leaves, unpacked

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Finely chop the peppermint leaves.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the half & half and the peppermint leaves.

3. Scald mixture over low heat, stirring frequently.

4. Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer into a medium bowl.

5. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.

6. Add in the cream, stirring well.

7. Put the mixture into the freezer to chill.

8. Pour into a 1 1/2 quart or larger ice cream maker.

9. Churn until a firm soft-serve consistency.

10. Add in 1 cup of cold mini chocolate chips and mix well.

11. Transfer to a container and freeze until firm.

My Conclusion~

I'm not a fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream, so even if it's in the freezer I normally won't eat it. However, I do like the fresh peppermint taste of this ice cream. Using the fresh peppermint from my garden makes a big difference. It's not green and artificial, it's light and fresh. I would process it longer than the 40 minutes that I did this time. It wasn't frozen enough and when I took it out of the ice cream maker it immediately started melting when I was stirring in the chips. I would process it 10 minutes more or even longer.

Reviews~

Mr. Brown Chick: Loves it!

Tween Chick: Sort of likes it, wasn't the best.

Young Chick: Loves it.

Baby Chick: Likes it.

Nutella Ice Cream

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups nutella
1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts

1. Mix cream, milk, and nutella until completely blended.
2. Add to ice cream maker and process for 15-25 minutes, until the ice cream reaches a soft serve consistency.
3. Either add chopped hazelnuts to the ice cream maker, or mix in after transferring to a freezer safe container.
4. Freeze until firm.

Conclusion

The flavor was GREAT - afterall, how can you go wrong with NUTELLA! Unfortunately, once again my ice cream maker whipped too much air into the ice cream, making it less dense than I would like. I think if I made this again I would do 50/50 on cream and nutella, and use maybe 1/4 cup of chopped hazelnuts.

Reviews

Yellow Chick: Good flavor - but not quite dense enough.
Mr. Yellow Chick: Doesn't like hazelnuts or nutella... so I didn't really ask. :)