Coconut Milk Rocky Road Ice Cream

Here we are in the midst of a Pandemic. Many of us are at home learning to cook and create things we never thought we would make at home, but here we are. My thinking, “what better time than now to revive my recipe blog!” Things are difficult, so during these rocky times, why not make Rocky Road ice cream. (See what I did there :).

Reviving my blog is something I have been meaning to do for months. The Pandemic was the final catalyst. I have been cooking more than ever, and I have ventured into making homemade ice cream. I have had to modify recipes to meet my needs, but it was worth it. My trial is your gain.

Ice cream seems difficult to make, but it is much easier than I thought. Especially when you consider that it is a comfort food for many. Not only does it remind us of happier times, we usually consume it during happy events like birthdays, the Fourth of July, and barbecues. For me, I am allergic or intolerant to many of the ingredients in ice cream, so to enjoy this dessert I have decided to make my own. For me, that means eliminating eggs, staying away from certain nuts, and cutting down on dairy. So, without further ado, here’s my tried and tested recipe for chocolate coconut milk ice cream. Adding in marshmallow and chocolate covered peanuts at the end are what make it Rocky Road, but you can certainly mix it up or just eat the regular chocolate ice cream. Bon appetit!

This recipe calls for the Kitchen Aid ice cream maker attachment, however, you can certainly use any ice cream maker you desire or just try to freeze it after you blend it.

Ingredients:

2-16 oz cans full fat coconut milk, chilled in the fridge overnight 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s, but any unsweetened cocoa is fine) 1/2 to 3/4 cup simple syrup, chilled* (decide based on how sweet you would like it) 1-1/2 tsp Real Vanilla Extract 1 tsp arrowroot powder 1/4 tsp sea salt

Mix ins: 1 cup mini-marshmallows 1 cup of chocolate covered peanuts

Method:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender EXCEPT add-ins. Cover and blend on medium high until incorporated (2-3 minutes). This is your ice cream mix.

2. Pour ice cream mix into frozen Kitchen Aid ice cream attachment bowl. Using attachment paddle, mix ice cream on medium speed for 17-20 minutes until ice cream mix reaches consistency of soft serve ice cream.

3. Once consistency is achieved, turn off mixer and transfer ice cream to a freezer safe bowl adding in the “mix-ins” as you go. My technique is to place 1/3 of “mix ins” in the bottom of a freezer safe bowl. Add 1/2 of the ice cream to the bowl, placing another 1/3 of the “mix ins” on top. GENTLY stir to incorporate throughout.

4. Then, transfer second half of the ice cream to the bowl and add final 1/3 of “mix ins” to the top, gently stirring to incorporate. Freeze for 3-4 hrs, depending on desired consistency. (I can never wait 4 hrs, so I eat my ice cream a bit softer about 3 hrs later :). Finally, serve your amazing ice cream creation topped with chopped peanuts or as desired.

Notes: *Simple syrup can be made at home using a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water and heating it on low until sugar dissolves. (Ex. 1 cup water to 1 cup of sugar is 1:1 ratio). Excess can be saved for other uses later.