Looking for an amazing dairy free ice cream recipe? Make this creamy and dreamy vanilla ice cream and decadent chocolate ganache pronto!
Chocolate ganache is the perfect ice cream topping!
Vanilla packs a huge wallop, and is anything but boring. According to Cook’s Illustrated, vanilla’s a “flavor potentiator” that not only increases our perception of sweetness, but also our ability to taste other ingredients that accompany it—like nuts, fruit, coffee, and chocolate.
But as much as I share Lil-O’s love of vanilla, there’s no way I was going to let someone who can’t even tie his own shoes keep me from my beloved dark chocolate.
The compromise? Ganache, baby. GANACHE.
As Kelly points out, ganache (a.k.a. fancy chocolate sauce) can be made dairy-free, too; just substitute full-fat coconut milk for the heavy cream. Drizzle some ganache over a scoop (or three) of Kelly’s rich, dairy-free vanilla ice cream, add a sprinkle of toasted slivered almonds, and you’re all set for one of the best frozen treats you’ve had since going paleo.
Ingredients for ice cream
- Medjool dates: The sweetener in this paleo ice cream is simply Medjool dates!
- Full-fat coconut milk: The base of this dairy-free ice cream is a combination of unsweetened coconut milk and a nut milk of your choice.
- Almond milk, cashew milk, or hemp milk (I use my Homemade Vanilla Almond Milk)
- Vanilla extract
- Unflavored gelatin or guar gum (optional): I use Great Lakes brand gelatin per Kelly’s recommendation (don’t use collagen peptides by mistake): Slowly stir 1 tablespoon of gelatin into ¼ cup boiling water until it completely dissolves. The gelatin helps with the texture of the ice cream but you can leave it out if you’re making vegan vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients for ganache
- Full-fat canned coconut milk: I like using coconut milk for the ganache because other nut milks aren’t normally fatty enough.
- Dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped: I normally chop up dark chocolate bars (ranging from 70% to 85% cacao) that I would snack on, including Green & Black Organic Dark Chocolate and Alter Eco brands. If you’re too lazy to chop up the chocolate, you can use Hu Gems or Guittard Sante Chocolate Chips.
(Plus, as an extra topping, I grabbed some toasted slivered almonds from my pantry.)
How to store the ice cream and ganache
Homemade ice cream can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three weeks. The ganache can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for up to a week. If the ganache is too solid, you can nuke it in the microwave in 15 second intervals or until it’s the right consistency.
More frozen paleo desserts
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Dairy Free Vanilla Ice Cream
Dairy Free Vanilla Ice Cream
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Place the dates and coconut milk into a high speed blender and puree until smooth.
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Add the almond milk, vanilla, and bloomed gelatin (if using). Blend until smooth.
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Chill in the freezer for at least an hour or in the fridge until cold.
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Pour into the ice cream machine and churn per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Chocolate Ganache
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In a small saucepan, warm the coconut milk over medium heat until it begins to simmer.
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Place the chocolate in a bowl, pour the hot coconut milk over it, and let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Whisk as the heat of the coconut milk melts the chocolate. Continue whisking until the milk and chocolate are well combined. (You can store the ganache covered at room temperature for up to a week.)
Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 42g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 18g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
