Homemade Mint Ice Cream
The first ice cream recipe in a very long time is here and you should definitely try it. Fresh mint inside creamy plant-based ice cream popsicles, covered in homemade chocolate.
Fresh Mint!
This homemade ice cream is mint-flavored. It contains fresh mint leaves. Mint is a herb that I have been growing for a long time. One of my favorite herbs that one can add to both savory dishes and desserts. I find that mint is easy to take care of and multifunctional. Its incredible fresh flavor makes you think of spring and green meadows. Spring meets summer - that best describes today's ice cream popsicles.
To further intensify the mint flavor, you can add several drops of mint essential oil. This is optional but it brings out the mint flavor even more. This ice cream is a celebration of mint. And a celebration of spring flavors in summer.
Do you want more mint-flavored desserts? Check out this amazing Chocolate-Mint Cake.
Plant-based ice cream without an ice cream machine!
Yes, you read it correctly, these ice cream popsicles are vegan. They are based on full-fat canned coconut milk and white ganache with cacao butter. The ganache contains also cashew butter and maple syrup. If you wish, you can replace the cacao butter, cashew butter, and maple syrup altogether with (vegan) white chocolate.
Other replacements that you can make are the following. You can substitute the maple syrup for honey or any other liquid sweetener. The cashew butter can also be replaced by sesame seed tahini. However, if you decide to use tahini, I would recommend any type that is not made from white sesame seeds because the latter is too bitter for the delicate fresh flavors of this ice cream.
There are only a few main ingredients for these ice popsicles and the preparation is relatively easy. No ice cream machine is required. You would need only a blender and a mixer.
Chocolate cover from scratch!
The ice cream popsicles are all covered in chocolate. The chocolate is prepared from scratch using cacao butter and cacao powder. The taste of the chocolate in combination with the fresh mint is wonderful. In case you want to use store-bought chocolate instead, you can do so. In such a case, I would recommend dark chocolate (>70% cacao solids) for two reasons. First, you would minimize the amount of sugar in the ice cream, and second, you would not overpower the mint flavor.
Ingredients:
Ice cream:
250 ml full-fat coconut milk
10 g fresh mint
90 g cacao butter*
60 g cashew butter*
70 g maple syrup*
1 tsp vanilla
[optional] 3 drops mint essential oil
Chocolate cover:
50 g cacao butter
30 g cacao powder
30 ml maple syrup**
Preparation:
Ice cream:
Scoop out 100 ml (or g) of the thick part of canned coconut milk and set it aside.
In a blender, add 150 ml of coconut milk and the fresh mint. Blend for 1-2 minutes.
Then, transfer the mixture to a pan on the stove and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes for the mint to infuse.
In the meantime, combine cacao butter, cashew butter, and maple syrup in a bowl, and once ready, pour the hot mint-infused coconut milk on top.
Mix well until the cacao butter is melted completely and all ingredients are well combined.
Then add the mint essential oil (if using), mix, and let this ganache cool down to room temperature.
Using a mixer, whisk the thick solid part of the coconut milk that you have set aside in the beginning. Add the vanilla and whisk until you achieve soft peaks.
Add the whisked coconut milk to the ganache and mix well.
Transfer the mixture to ice popsicle forms.
Freeze them for at least 6-8 hours.
Chocolate cover:
Prepare the chocolate cover once the ice cream is completely frozen.
Melt the cacao butter over a bain-marie.
Add the maple syrup and the cacao powder and mix really well.
Take out the ice cream popsicles and dunk them in the homemade chocolate.
Then set aside until the chocolate sets (that takes approximately 2-3 minutes).
You can keep the ice cream in the freezer until ready to enjoy. I would recommend you leave it at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before consuming it. That way, the ice cream will thaw slightly and will be even more enjoyable.
Do you like this recipe? Please share in the comments below!
Tips:
* The three ingredients can be replaced by 100 g (vegan) white chocolate.
** You can replace the maple syrup with honey or another liquid sweetener.