Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Coconut milk ice cream is an excellent choice for those who love tropical flavors or are looking for an alternative to traditional dairy-based ice cream. Here I offer you a simple and delicious version that you can try at home.

Ingredients

• 400 ml of canned coconut milk (creamy and well chilled)
• 200 ml of whipping cream (vegetable-based if you prefer)
• 100 g of icing sugar (or less if you prefer a less sweet taste)
• 1 vanilla pod (or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract)

Preparation

1. Make sure that the coconut milk is well chilled by putting it in the refrigerator for a few hours or, even better, overnight.
2. When the coconut milk is cold, open the can and scoop out only the creamy part that has separated from the liquid and set it aside.
3. Place the creamy part of the coconut milk in a large bowl.
4. Add the icing sugar and the seeds scraped from the vanilla pod or the vanilla extract.
5. With an electric mixer, whip the coconut milk with sugar and vanilla until it becomes light and fluffy.
6. In another bowl, whip the cream until it is stiff.
7. Gently fold the whipped cream into the coconut milk mixture, taking care not to deflate it.
8. Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container, cover it with a lid or cling film.
9. Put it in the freezer and let it solidify for at least 4-6 hours. For an optimal result, stir the ice cream with a fork every hour during the first 3 hours to prevent ice crystals from forming.
10. Once the ice cream has reached the desired consistency, it is ready to be served. Take it out of the freezer a few minutes before serving to make scooping easier.

Curiosity

Coconut milk ice cream is a very popular vegan alternative and lends itself to many variations, for example, by adding fresh fruit, chocolate syrup, or chopped hazelnuts to enrich it. In Italy, coconut ice cream is often served in cones or cups and in some cases is combined with delicious liqueurs like Malibu to create a more adult dessert.