HELLO 2023!
Given that it’s summer and my children are spending long hours shaded under the fig tree and asking for cold drinks and ice-cream every SINGLE MINUTE. I thought, hey, let’s share a really easy recipe for Chocolate Ice Cream with Olive Oil, that you can make without an ice-cream maker.
Firstly, I’ll confess that I ditched our ice-cream maker two years ago. It was loud, clunky and took up way too much cupboard space. I then spent the next six months trialling and failing with recipes that don’t require whipping and freezing for long hours at a time.
I was committed to making my own ice-cream from scratch (yes, really) given that most commercial ice-creams contain preservatives, refined sugars, hydrogenated oils and sneaky anti-freeze ingredients.
I have learnt that various pantry staples can act as emulsifiers, and natural anti-freezing agents (read on for the recipe). And if you mix them together with whipped cream, you have a very close comparison to what you purchase at the store (without the added nasties).
What I’m Loving This Week:
The first leaves on the Aloe Vera plant have been ready for picking. I spent a long time searching for an edible Aloe plant (most Aloes you can apply topically to your skin, but only a few are edible). And after planting it just over 12 months ago in a sunny spot in the garden, the leaves are now ready to be added to smoothies and drinks. You may have seen my earlier post on the nutritional benefits of Aloe Vera and it’s role in gut health and healing. I am also going to share a youtube video that I found very inspirational. For nurseries and other resources, check out my post here.
I finally found a morning coffee-replacement. Thankfully, there are like-minded parents who create wonderful things for sleep-deprived-mothers-trying-to-quit-coffee, and this adaptogenic hot cocoa mix is the bomb. From what I understand, adaptogens are natural substances that help the body to adapt to stress and can assist in balancing stress hormones. I don’t always have time to brew my own nut-milk (don’t laugh), so I found a short-cut with nut butter and coconut oil (plus the assistance of a handheld blender - I’m keeping things real). I blend this up in the morning and it’s been truly marvellous. Take a look at my reel, or give me a wave in the comments and I’ll share the recipe here.
No-Churn Chocolate Olive Oil Ice-Cream:
You can prepare this recipe with just a few basic ingredients from your pantry. It whips together easily without the need for an ice-cream maker and is kid-friendly and allergy-adaptable as well.
INGREDIENTS:
1/8 cup olive oil
1/4 cup MCT oil (*see note)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/3 cup raw cacao
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
1/3 cup coconut or rapadura sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
500ml cream
1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)
*MCT (Medium Chain Triglycerides) oil is available at most health food stores. If you cannot locate it, just replace it in this recipe with additional olive oil (look for one that doesn’t have a heavy flavour) and it will do a similar job.
DIRECTIONS:
In a small, deep bowl, mix together all of the ingredients, excluding the cream and chocolate chips. You can use handheld blender, or whisk. Mix well, ensuring that the mixture is well combined with no lumps.
Place the bowl into a saucepan with 2 inches of warm water at the bottom. Heat gently (do not boil) and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it thickens and the sugar dissolves.
In a separate mixing bowl, whip the cream. The volume should increase by half and the texture will become stiff. Pour in the warm chocolate mixture and continue to whisk.
Pour mixture into ice-cream bowl (I usually use a bread tin lined with grease-proof paper or a rectangular terrine dish). And freeze for 4-5 hours or until firm.
Prior to serving, transfer the ice-cream from the freezer to the refrigerator and leave it soften for 10-15 minutes. This will allow the cream to soften, and make scooping easier as well.
Serve with berries or additional chocolate chips. Enjoy!
Know someone that might enjoy this recipe? Please hit the share button and give them a wave! Thank you !!