Vegan ice cream expert, Deena Jalal, has released her first cookbook, Incredible Vegan Ice Cream. Deena is the founder of Fomu, the famed vegan ice cream shop and brand in Boston. And she is sharing a sample recipe with us today for vegan and dairy-free salted caramel ice cream. And yes, it’s made with just THREE basic ingredients, straight from your pantry!
Dairy-Free Salted Caramel Ice Cream Made with Just 3 Simple Pantry Ingredients
Because Deena uses just three ingredients, they are each quite important. Here are some of my notes and tips to help ensure good results.
Sugar – She specifically uses “organic unrefined cane sugar.” I assume she states “organic” to ensure that the sugar is strictly vegan. Organic sugar is processed without any animal involvement. You can use cane sugar or brown sugar with delicious results. If you move toward other types of sweeteners, like coconut sugar, this will affect the flavor more dramatically.
Coconut Milk – This is full-fat coconut milk, NOT coconut milk beverage. See my Coconut Milk Guide for pictures. The more “cream” in your coconut milk, the richer this salted caramel ice cream will be, but it’s okay to use one that doesn’t set up as much. You’ll need two 13- to 14-ounce cans to get 3 cups of coconut milk.
Salt – Yes, definitely use sea salt. You really want that depth of flavor to come through without using too much. If you are a sweet and salty fanatic, you can sprinkle a little coarse salt on your scoop when serving.
Add-Ins – Personally, I would add a little vanilla, just to cut the coconut flavor a little more, and because I love vanilla caramel. But Deena opted to keep it a pure coconut-caramel. She does recommend adding the Candied Cacao (a recipe in Incredible Vegan Ice Cream) for added crunch. I think shave dairy-free chocolate would also be delicious. You can also make a double batch of the caramel, and use one batch for topping or swirling into the ice cream.
Incredible Vegan Ice Cream is Rich with Interesting Flavors
Fomu is known for churning creative ice cream flavors, and this cookbook emulates their style. They enhance classic flavors with unique twists and serve up new surprises with flavors I never would have imagined.
Here are just a few of the flavors you will find in Incredible Vegan Ice Cream:
- Cookies (& Cookies) & Cream
- Grape-Nuts & Raisin
- Lemon Meringue Pie
- Magic Bar
- Matcha White Chocolate
- Candied Sweet Potato
- Apple Cider Donut (I’ve tried this one!)
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Thai Chili Peanut
- Banoffee Pie
- Black Sesame
The ice cream recipes are followed by an “Over the Top” chapter filled with recipes for cookies, brownies, cake, crumbles, sauces, and other toppings.
But take note that almost all, if not all, of the ice cream recipes in this cookbook are coconut-based. Including this wonderful sample recipe for dairy-free and vegan salted caramel ice cream.
Photo credit: Emily Kan.
Special Diet Notes: Salted Caramel Ice Cream
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.
- 1 cup (200 g) organic unrefined cane sugar, divided
- 3 cups (720 ml) full-fat canned coconut milk, divided
- Heavy pinch of sea salt
- Make the caramel first. Add ¾ cup (150 g) of sugar to a medium-sized heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Let it sit in an even layer until you see the sugar start to liquefy, about 5 minutes. If necessary, whisk briefly to dissolve larger lumps. When the sugar is completely liquefied and amber in color, slowly whisk in 1 cup (240 ml) of the coconut milk until you have a smooth, thick caramel. Remove the pan from the heat, add the salt, and let it cool.
- Use a high-speed or immersion blender or whisk to thoroughly mix the remaining 2 cups (480 ml) of coconut milk, ¼ cup (50 g) of sugar, and the cooled salted caramel. Chill the mixture in a sealed container for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Add the chilled mixture to your ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Most machines take 10 to 15 minutes depending on the temperature of the mix, and when it’s finished it should look like soft serve.
- Once it’s churned, transfer the ice cream to a large freezer-safe container. Wide and shallow containers work well for mixing, freezing, and scooping later on. Smooth the top, cover the ice cream, and freeze it for at least 5 to 6 hours or until it is firm.
- This ice cream will keep in the freezer for 1 week in an airtight container, but is best when it’s fresh.
The Prep time is hands-on time only. Allow time for cooling, chilling, and churning.
