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Dessert
August/September 2009
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Strawberry Ice Cream
SERVES 8
Coconut milk replaces cream in this refreshing dairy-free, soy-free ice cream alternative. For this recipe, choose small organic strawberries that are grown locally, if possible. They should have dark red skins with moist green leaves and stems and a sweet aroma.
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (not lite), divided
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin or ¾ teaspoon
agar agar powder
⅓-½ cup honey or agavé nectar
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 heaping cups fresh strawberries, rinsed, drained
and hulled
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1. Add ⅓ cup coconut milk to a small saucepan. Slowly sprinkle with gelatin or agar agar powder. Let stand for 2 minutes until it softens and dry spots disappear. Warm over medium-low heat without stirring, until gelatin or agar agar dissolves. Scrape the mixture into a blender or food processor. Add ⅓ cup honey and salt. Cover and process until smooth. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
2. Purée strawberries in a blender or food processor. You should have about 2 cups purée. Add gelatin mixture, remaining coconut milk and vanilla. Blend until smooth, scraping sides with a spatula. For a sweeter taste, add additional honey or agave, 1 tablespoon at a time. Blend and repeat, to taste.
3. Pour into one or more wide-mouth jars. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before churning, or cool mixture more quickly in an ice bath. To make an ice bath, pour mixture into a bowl and place it into a larger bowl filled with ice and cold water. Chill mixture until cold.
4. Scrape chilled custard into canister of your ice cream maker. Churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. Serve immediately. For a firmer texture, spoon into freezer-safe containers, cover and freeze for 3 or more hours. Soften solidly frozen dessert by placing it in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes or on the counter for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.
Each serving contains 179 calories, 12g total fat, 11g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 15mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 2g protein.
TIP For lower sugar content, use ⅓ cup honey or agavé nectar combined with ¼ to ½ teaspoon pure stevia extract powder or ½ to 1 teaspoon clear stevia liquid.
Recipe reprinted with permission from The Ice Dream Cookbook (Planetary Press), by Rachel Albert-Matesz.
Comments (11)
My daughter is on a GFCF diet. We tried making whipped cream substitute out of coconut milk. It does work, but she was not very excited about it, her siblings really liked it. I tried it with the canned coconut milk sold at HyVee and even though it did not say it was lite it did not work. Than I bought canned coconut milk at Whole f\Foods. I don't remember the brand but it was organic and it worked. You have to refrigerate the can which causes the fat to separate. You pour off the coconut water (tastes great) and beat the fat to make whipped cream. You do not have to freeze the beaters and bowl even though most instructions tell you to. We also last night tried Rich's non dairy whipped topping. It comes in a carton like whipping cream and is in the freezer section. My daughter liked it a lot better, she thought it tasted like cool whip, I think it is closer to dream whip for texture and taste. It is pretty sweet and is sweetened with corn syrup. However it is economical
Posted by: Linda H | June 13, 2012 10:15 PM Report this comment
Hey! does anybody have a "whipping cream" substitute for a yummy topping? I also want to make creme brulee w/o milk. Any ideas?
Posted by: Linda C | December 27, 2010 2:55 PM Report this comment
No Gluten, No Milk, No Soy, No Strawberries...BUT YES! I'm going shopping for a new "ice cream" maker too! Gonna try dried cherries, Nuts and GFChocolate Chips....yum!
Posted by: Linda C | December 27, 2010 2:53 PM Report this comment
What a pleasant surprise to find sites that cater to gluten free recipes and information for those of us that find it hard to enjoy a meal at restaurants. I'm sure with more awareness among restaurant owners they will realize there is a large market that would like to go out but find it almost impossible to order anything.
Posted by: ruth@ladymiller.com | August 18, 2010 9:07 PM Report this comment
ABOUT SOY- The October/November 2010 issue of Living Without has an article on the subject of soy - pro and con - and why. You'll want to check it out.
Posted by: LW Moderator | July 30, 2010 2:09 PM Report this comment
Hi Michael & Michelle - "Allergic to strawberries" Chef Rachel says "If you use those berries, yes, you'd need to strain out the seeds. Yes, you'd need the same processed volume of puree! Good thinking! You may need to increase the sweetener a bit if the mixture is too tart for your tastes after you've blended all the ingredients. A dash more honey might be called for!"
Posted by: LW Moderator | July 30, 2010 2:08 PM Report this comment
LW contacted Chef Rachel regarding using rice milk for this recipe. She responded: "Rice milk won't work nor will commercial nut milk. They're too low in fat. If you want to use nut milk, you'd need to make it at home and make it very thick. You need enough fat to make the frozen dessert creamy rather than icy and slushy. You could follow a nut milk recipe (almond, cashew etc), making 4 cups of nut milk from each cup of nuts. You'd need to strain the mixture through cheesecloth."
Posted by: LW Moderator | July 30, 2010 2:05 PM Report this comment
I agree with Ann H---Bravo for a soy free recipe! Keep 'em coming!
Posted by: Saskia L | July 29, 2010 3:17 PM Report this comment
Thank you SO MUCH for posting a dairy-free recipe that doesn't use soy in place of dairy. So many of us Celiacs have food allergies as well, and with soy on the top 8 world-wide list, right up there with the peanuts and the shellfish, it's a never-ending juggle. So A for effort for you guys. Now I'm going out to shop for a good ice cream maker !!!
Posted by: Elisabeth W | July 29, 2010 11:46 AM Report this comment
I am allergic to coconut, what can I use in place of it? Will rice milk work, or will it be too thin? Thanks!
Posted by: gfgurl32 | July 29, 2010 10:56 AM Report this comment
Being allergic to strawberries, is it possible to substitute with raspberries or blueberries or black-raspberries? Would you strain out the "seeds" and process the substitute berries until you have the required "2 cups puree" as for the strawberries? (thank you! roli@frontiernet.net)
Posted by: Carola H | July 29, 2010 10:31 AM Report this comment