Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

Did you know that July is National Ice Cream month? I personally love a bit of ice cream (or more than a bit) on a hot day. When you are picking out your favorite ice cream at the store, watch out for a lot of additives and artificial ingredients that might cause you to regret that ice cream choice later. They put all kinds of junk in ice cream, including:

• artificial colors
• partially  hydrogenated oils (trans fats)
• artificial flavors
• carageenan
• artificial sweeteners
• high fructose corn syrup
• sodium benzoate (a preservative)
• GMO's

With all that junk out there, why not make your own ice cream? Then, you know exactly what is in it!

The recipe below combines the rich flavors of coconut and Madagascar Bourbon pure vanilla. Hmmm...yum!

If you have an ice cream maker, make sure you have the ice and coarse salt your ice cream maker requires. For those without an ice cream machine try one of these three low-cost techniques for creating ice cream:

• The Bag Method:  Take a well-chilled ice cream base, put it in a plastic bag (Ziploc), which rests inside of a larger Ziploc bag filled with kosher salt and ice, then shake for a long while and end up with some pretty good ice cream.

• Ice Cream in a Can, or Kick the Can: Put ice cream base in a small coffee can, which rests in a larger coffee can, surrounded by rock salt and ice. Seal the tops and roll the can around.

• The Stir-Every-30-Minutes Method: Take custard base out of the freezer every half-hour and give it a vigorous stir until you have an ice-cream-like consistency. It’s the simplest of all techniques.

Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream     
          

       

(Yield 1-1/2-quarts)
Ingredients
½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup caster sugar* (baker’s sugar)
1 tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract*  
2 (13.5-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk 
½ cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted (garnish)

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk cream, sugar and vanilla extract until combined; set aside. Add coconut milk to a large glass measuring cup; add cream-sugar mixture and stir.
2. Assemble ice cream maker and pour ice cream mixture through filling hole. For the perfect ice-cream follow the manufacturer’s appliance directions.
3. While ice cream is churning, toast the coconut. Preheat the oven to 350°F. On a small rimmed baking sheet, evenly spread coconut; place in oven and toast, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, as coconut will toast quickly. Cool and store until ready to use.

*Caster sugar can be difficult to find. To make a superfine sugar, add granulated sugar to a mini food processor bowl and pulse until sugar is a superfine, but not a powdery consistency.

*I love the purity and quality of Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla. I use their products in all my cooking and baking! Special thanks to Nielsen-Massey for sending some vanilla for me to try out!

To help get you started on making this delicious recipe, we are giving away (1) 2 oz bottle of Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract to (1) lucky winner!

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