Discovery: Vegan Peanut Butter Gelato

I found what seemed to be an intelligent and simple recipe peanut butter gelato and decided to try it out. I have been finding it incredibly odd that peanut butter cannot be used as a fat in the ice cream process, because that's quite literally what it is. Instead, peanut butter commonly makes ice cream hard and annoyingly difficult to scoop.

The recipe tastes awesome, but you have to wait like 15 min before scooping...not my favorite situation. I would like to be able to make a peanut butter ice cream that it just as smooth and soft as any regular vanilla ice cream. In order to do that I am going to have to utilize more fat in a way that will offset the odd chemistry of the peanut butter. Which will be incredibly difficult if I still want to make it vegan.

Vegan Peanut Butter Gelato
2c. soymilk
1/4c. brown sugar
1/4c. peanut butter







Combine all ingredients in a bowl and strain. Freeze mixture for about 10 min before churning. Pretty. Freaking. Easy.

I'm wondering if maybe it would be softer if I made peanut butter banana or some other combination instead. Maybe the addition of other ingredients would cancel out the awkward peanut chemistry...though realistically I think it would just make the desired outcome more difficult to achieve. I've seen a few recipes that add cream cheese which must soften up the peanut butter, but that wouldn't work in a vegan recipe. This is one that I'm going to have to play with a bit, but I definitely don't think it is going to be impossible. I also have a few more raw/vegan ice cream recipes up my sleeve to try out at a later date so you might wanna stay tuned.

Challenge: Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

When Heather challenged me to a Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream duel, I had to accept. She had mentioned how last year she had tried to make the concoction with coconut milk rather than dairy, so I figured I should abide by the same general rule. I immediately ruled out coconut milk due to her previous research, and knew that my recipe would not contain milk, cream, or eggs.

I used Libby's Pumpkin Pie Mix (I have literally had it sitting in my pantry for a year now) and soy creamer as my base ingredients. Since the pumpkin itself is already thick, I wouldn't have to do much to change the thickness. In retrospect I wish I had added some rum to the mix to make the outcome softer...but then again it would have effected the overall flavor. I'll definitely try this one again, but I think it was a great first start.

In the end my recipe went a little something like this:

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

1c. pumpkin pie mix
2c. soy creamer
2T brown sugar
1/2t. cinnamon
gingersnap cookies for garnish

Whisk all ingredients together and churn in ice cream maker until thick. Freeze until solid.

Tastes magnificent with gingersnap cookies to go with it....crumbled on top or used as an ice cream sandwich!

Discovery: Vegan Triple Chocolate Ice Cream

With my recent addiction to soy milk, I wanted to try making dairy-free ice cream. Again, being big on utilization, I tried to find the recipe that had most of what I had at home. I ended up finding Ice Cream Freaks' chocolate soy ice cream recipe, and played around with it.

My theory was that the thickness of my dairy-free organic chocolate syrup (which is MUCH thicker than Hershey's) would partially make up for the thinness of my vanilla soy milk that had replaced the soy creamer called for in the recipe. Sure, it might be a ridiculous assumption, but this is science...you try it out, and if it doesn't work? Try again!

While checking my ingredients to be sure that they were dairy-free (and...as it turns out...vegan!), I took a glance at my dark chocolate chunks that I had purchased for my Matcha Mint ChocoChunk experiment. I literally shouted because GUESS WHAT? I can eat them! For those who don't know, I have an obscure, ridiculous chocolate allergy that means I can't eat cocoa powder, but CAN have chocolate liquor and cocoa butter. I think I might revise this recipe at a later date to incorporate more Kelly-friendly chocolatey goodness :) Also, while one might thing it would be more beneficial to use chocolate soy milk, I think it would have over-chocolatafied the recipe.

Vegan Triple Chocolate Ice Cream

ice cream base
1 pint vanilla soy milk
1/8 c. brown sugar
1/8 c. raw sugar
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1/4 c. dairy-free organic chocolate syrup
3/4 t. vanilla extract
1/4 c. dark chocolate chunks

chocolate ripple
1/2 c. dark chocolate chunks
1/4 c. vanilla soy milk

In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients except chocolate chunks. Blend until fully incorporated. Churn in ice cream maker until thick, approx 30 min. While ice cream is churning, cook soy milk and chocolate chunks in a double boiler until the chocolate is completely melted and thinned by soy milk. Set aside to cool. Once ice cream base has gotten thick, add chocolate chunks and allow to incorporate. Stop machine, and fold in chocolate sauce until swirled into ice cream. Put in freezer proof containers and freeze until solid.

I paired this ice cream with a raspberry coulis (made with agave instead of sugar) which balanced the sweet and bitter quite nicely. I think that without a berry-centered sauce, the ice cream might be too bitter for some people.