Rich and mellow, this vegan ice cream is easy to make and hugely satisfying to eat. It requires some kind of a high speed blender to achieve the traditional velvety texture – a food processor unfortunately does not do the job well enough. But you do not need to own a VitaMix, a NutriBullet will do!
I like to serve the ice cream with fresh raspberries, hot chocolate sauce and perhaps a scattering of flaked, toasted almonds but it is just as good on its own.
Choose your peanut butter carefully: no hydrogenated oils, no sugar, no additives.
PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM
Serves 8
150 g/5 oz raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for one hour
1 large, ripe banana – approximately 125 g/4 1/2 oz
7 dried dates, soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes, stone removed
200 ml/7 fl oz full fat coconut milk
1/4 tsp vanilla powder
120 ml/8 tbsp peanut butter
90 g/3 1/2 oz dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), chopped fairly small
Fresh raspberries (optional)
Toasted flaked almonds (optional)
Hot chocolate sauce (optional)
100 g/4 oz dark chocolate (minimum 7% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped
60 ml/4 tbsp almond milk, or to taste
Drain and rinse the cashews and place them in the blender. Break the banana up into 6 or 7 pieces and add it to the cashews, along with the drained dates, coconut milk, vanilla and peanut butter. Blend until totally smooth and velvety, stopping every now and then to scrape down the sides of the jug. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Transfer the mixture to a shallow china dish and freeze for at least two hours.
Remove from the freezer 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
For the hot chocolate sauce, heat the almond milk in a small saucepan until steaming. Turn off the heat, add the chocolate and stir until smooth.
Scoop the ice cream into sundae glasses, drizzle over the chocolate sauce, garnish with raspberries and almonds and serve immediately.