I must preface this recipe by saying that I grew up not liking ice cream. There were a few ice cream bars I did enjoy, but nothing that would make me swoon. Years later, I realised that the reason I disliked shop-bought ice creams was how sweet they were. And they still are, at least to me.
Although it is a dessert, it is meant to be sweet, too much sugar can almost drown out the flavour of the ice cream. Especially vanilla, my favourite. And that is how this little frozen gem came to be. Just to my liking, with a rich chocolate flavour, and a delightful caramel aftertaste.
If you like, you can add a teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the dry ingredients, and it will turn this ice cream into a coffee lover’s dream. Or alternatively, serve it with a freshly brewed espresso, and enjoy.
Ingredients
800 millilitres full-fat coconut milk
70 grams cornflour
200 grams dark brown sugar
30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
small pinch of salt
100 grams dark chocolate (70%)
50 grams vegan block butter
Preparation
Pour the sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and shake it lightly, so the sugar distributes nicely. Take another medium bowl, pour in about 100 millilitres of cold milk, add in the cornflour, vanilla bean paste, cocoa powder, and salt, and whisk until completely blended. Reserve the rest of the milk.
Place the saucepan over medium-high heat, and let the sugar melt and caramelise slowly. Once it starts to brown around the edges, slowly and gently move the melted parts towards the centre. Let it cook for about 7-8 minutes, until it becomes a deep amber colour. Once fragrant, very carefully pour the reserved milk into it. Let it cook for a minute or two, until all of the caramel melts, then pour in the cornflour mixture.
As soon as it starts to steam, start whisking. The more the batter heats up, the more vigorously it should be stirred, to prevent burning. Once it comes to a boil, cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens. It should resemble a cooked custard. Remove from the heat and let it cool for a minute or so. Add in the butter and chocolate, whisking constantly, until incorporated. Cover the top with cling film, let it cool down to room temperature, and then place it into the refrigerator for a few hours. Once chilled, freeze it in your ice cream machine, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer it to a container and freeze until firm (about 4-6 hours). Yields 1 litre of frozen custard.
