Almond Ice Cream with Mixed Berries

The June issue of Vegetarian Times included recipes for "no-cream ice cream" - that is, three recipes for vegan ice cream. I've tried before to modify dairy ice cream recipes to non-dairy, but they never freeze right. I realize there are entire books devoted to this, but I have a limited budget. Last summer I made a lot of sorbets, many of which are vegan to begin with, but when I saw these recipes I got really excited. This recipe is actually a modification on the Peanut Butter Coconut Ice Cream recipe from the magazine (which we also made, and it was delicious). Instead, this is an almond ice cream that I served with mixed berries. It's delicious plain, but the almond flavor is really quite strong, and the sweet/tart berry flavor offsets it beautifully. Though coconut milk is used in this recipe, you don't notice it at all because the almond flavor is so strong. I use a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker to freeze my ice creams, so freezing times may vary based on your ice cream maker.



Almond Ice Cream with Mixed Berries
1 13.5 oz can light coconut milk (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup almond butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup soy creamer
Mixed berries -- I used strawberries, blueberries, pitted cherries, and raspberries

1. In a blender, puree all the ingredients. Chill the pureed mixture in the fridge until very, very cold.

2. Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. For the Cuisinart, it takes about 25-30 minutes to get as firm as it's going to get. Serve immediately, or put it in the freezer for 2 hrs to let it get firmer. Serve with fresh berries.