Vegan Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream with Dulce de Leche Swirl
100% Vegan, yes. Low-fat/low-calorie? No. Super delicious and creamy? Oh, yeah! This vegan Mexican chocolate ice cream recipe, nuts and swirl included, makes about 2 quarts of ice cream.
11ozanywhere from 9-12oz, depending on your taste coconut palm sugar
2ozor up to 3 oz regular cocoa powder
½teaspoonkosher salt
4ozvegan 60% chocolate(or 4 oz semi-sweet or bittersweet vegan chocolate chips)
2medium Haas avocadosvery ripe and creamy
1teaspooncinnamon
4 ½teaspoonsvanilla
For the Swirl
1 13.5ozcan full fat coconut milk
6ozcoconut palm sugar
¾teaspooncinnamon
½teaspoonkosher salt
1/4-1/2teaspooncayenne pepper(or chipotle powder if you prefer some smokiness)
For the Almonds
¾cupwhole smoked and salted almondscoarsely chopped
2ozdemerara sugar
2Tablespoonswater
Instructions
For the Base
In a heavy saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk, palm sugar, cocoa powder and salt.
Heat until steaming, whisking all the while.
Pour over the chocolate and whisk until evenly melted.
Place the avocados (no pits, no peel, please) in your blender container.
Add enough of the chocolate mixture just to cover and then blend to puree the avocado.
Blend in the rest of the chocolate mixture and then add the cinnnamon and vanilla.
Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more sugar/salt/cinnamon if you think it needs it.
Pour into a metal bowl and chill in an ice bath until no more than 40F.
For the Dulce de Leche (can be made the day before)
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently.
Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the total volume is reduced to 12 oz (1 1/2 cups).
Cool and then chill until ready to use.
For the Almonds
Place the almonds, sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed skillet.
Cook over medium high heat, stirring with a wooden spatula frequently, until the water evaporates and there are sandy sugar crystals clinging to the nuts.
Spread onto Silpat to cool. Place in the freezer about 30 minutes before you need them.
Putting It All Together
Churn the base in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.
Add the nuts when the ice cream reaches soft-serve consistency and churn for 1-2 minutes longer, or until the nuts are evenly distributed.
Layer in some of the dulce de leche in the bottom of your container.
Top with 1/2 of the ice cream base, spreading it out to cover the dulce.
Top with additional dulce, then ice cream, dulce and the last of the ice cream. Smooth the top. You can drizzle in a bit more of the dulce on top.
Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ice cream and freeze until firm, 4-6 hours or overnight.
You will probably not use all the dulce de leche. Save it to put in coffee or to pour on top of your ice cream.