Coconut Milk Ice Cream

We have many family members with food allergies so it can be challenging to feed them when they come for a visit. I always like to do my best at being a hostess and allow my sister-in-laws a bit of a break from planning all the meals so they can have a bit of a vacation. They always jump in and help in the preparation of meals when they are here, but they are so thankful that the planning and shopping has been done.

This coconut milk ice cream is a dessert I turn to often when they come. I know their families don't enjoy ice cream very often so it is a huge treat and really quite simple for me to make. It is dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free, but not taste-free! It is delicious enough that we all enjoy it and I end up making a double or triple batch quite often. If you do want to double it, just put the mixture in two containers so it will freeze faster and be a little easier to whip the air into.

We serve it over baked apples or drizzle my homemade raspberry syrup on top. Sometimes they top it with their special allergy-free chocolate chips and plenty of other times we eat it all by itself. Any way we serve it, it is delicious!

Start the process with 2 cans of coconut milk. Do not get the low fat version - it will not work for ice cream.

Mix together the coconut milk, sugar, and vanilla. 3 ingredients is all it takes! The coconut milk is always separated when you open it. Don't despair just get out your wire whisk and get ready to burn a few calories.

Whisk it all together very well. I am using a 2 quart freezer safe container.Cover and place in the freezer. Set your timer for 30 minutes and go get some other things done.

When the timer goes off, remove from the freezer and whisk again. Then repeat this process - set the timer for 30 minutes and then whisk again. Continue to repeat this process, whisking well each time, until it is too frozen to whisk any more. Then allow to freeze for a few hours until ready to serve. Remember that the more air you whip into it, the creamier it will be.

If you are lucky enough to have a small ice cream freezer, you can pour the mixture into it and follow the directions - letting it do all the work for you. Or, you can just burn a few extra calories doing it yourself so you feel OK about indulging in a few extra bites. This method of whisking every 30 minutes works with any ice cream recipe. The great flavor of homemade ice cream doesn't have to wait until you purchase a machine to do it for you.

Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 cans full fat coconut milk

1½ cups sugar

4 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Use a wire whisk to mix all the ingredients in a freezer safe container. Cover and freeze for 30 minutes. Remove from the freezer and whisk again. Cover and freeze for an additional 30 minutes. Repeat whisking every 30 minutes until ice cream is too thick to stir any more. (You are basically becoming the ice cream maker - you have to be the one to whip it full of air.) Once you have stirred it as many times as you can, allow it to freeze fully and then enjoy.

If you are having to count carbs, like my one neice who has type 1 diabetes, I make it using 2 cans of coconut milk, 1 cup of Splenda, and 4 tsp vanilla. She can eat one fourth of the container and only get 5g carbs! She loves it!