March 12, 2011: Choc-Ice Magic

I bet a few of you lot straight off recognise the chocolatey shard shapes pictured above, yes?  You powerfulness fifty-fifty live on thinking, "It's Cottee's Ice Magic to live on quite precise, as well as inwards merely a few seconds it turns into crackly choc ice!"  (Or, if you lot grew upwards inwards the US, mayhap you lot know it every bit Magic Shell.)  This was my favourite process when visiting my grandparents every bit a kid as well as inwards the by duet of years I've bought a duet of bottles as well as re-experienced the magic inwards full.  (That's around industrial-strength nostalgia correct there!)

I assumed they were pulling out the industrial-strength chemicals to exercise the liquid-to-solid transformation, but it turns out you lot tin plough over the axe teach inwards at home.  With ii ingredients.  They're non fifty-fifty really scary ingredients.  What's more, it's both vegan as well as gluten-free if you lot select those ingredients well.  K as well as I got talking almost it on twitter as well as she already tried it out inwards January.  What I tin plough over the axe say you lot now, every bit the temperature skips as well as dips to a greater extent than often, is that it behaves (as good every bit tastes) really much similar the existent deal:

• you tin plough over the axe shop it at room temperature merely fine, merely giving it a piffling milkshake or whisk earlier serving,
• it's perfectly crunchy yet silky almost one-half a infinitesimal later you lot pour it on icecream,
• at cooler room temperatures it tends to thicken, but sitting it inwards a hot H2O lavatory for a duet of minutes earlier the shaking/ whisking is all it takes for total revival.

This could cause got me eating icecream all wintertime long.  I suppose it could live on dressed upwards alongside a piffling instant coffee, peppermint essence or fifty-fifty rosewater, but correct at nowadays I'm nevertheless hooked on the original.

(For the record, I origin tried this out every bit dessert for our 3rd Simpsons Night later a dinner of Indya Bistro takeaway [thanks Mike].  That tag-line nosotros used to run almost existence reformed Simpsons addicts is likely best forgotten.)

Choc-ice Magic
(based on a recipe from The Accidental Vegetarian,
constitute via In The Mood For Noodles)

1/3 loving cup kokosnoot oil
2/3 loving cup chocolate (dark chips are best)

In a modest saucepan over gentle heat, melt the kokosnoot oil.  Add the chocolate as well as stir regularly, until the chocolate is melted as well as you lot cause got a polish sauce.

Spoon the sauce over icecream as well as shop leftovers inwards a jounce at room temperature.

Surprise Mint Choc-Chip Icecream

March 28-31, 2012

she's fond of St Patrick's Day! This twelvemonth she belatedly honoured the solar daytime past times hosting a potluck, bespeak each attendee to convey something dark-green too vegan to share. Michael tossed upwards a bowl of green couscous piece I pulled out an icecream recipe that K shared closed to final year.

This is mint choc-chip icecream alongside to a greater extent than than simply a vegan twist - it's tinted dark-green alongside spinach. I began tentatively, removing the stems from the dyad of tablespoons of spinach leaves every bit directed too placing them inwards my nutrient processor. It did lilliputian to a greater extent than than roughly chop them, thus I moved on doubtfully to the spice grinder. Not much to a greater extent than joy until I added a lilliputian of the kokosnoot milk - the spinach liquified earlier my really eyes! The dark-green milk tasted mild plenty too I grew to a greater extent than bold, ultimately blending inwards a amount loving cup of spinach leaves for a lurid dark-green hue. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 large dose of agave nectar too generous dash of peppermint essence completely swamped its flavour, piece the remaining kokosnoot milk diluted but didn't destroy its colour.

I've never had much luck alongside choc-chips inwards icecream - they tend to harden too lose their flavor every bit they freeze - thus I experimented alongside Ice Magic. Drizzling it inwards a dyad of layers through the freshly churned icecream I wondered if I should move out it be, thus lost my cool too hacked at the laid chocolate alongside a spoon. My loss was this icecream's gain, simply aspect at those thick chocolate chunks inwards the photo! And they melted into a sweetness cocoa puddle on the tongue. Finally, choc-chip mission accomplished.

I've developed an unexpected affection for mint choc-chip icecream inwards the past times few years, too this i sets a high standard. The alone affair stopping me from settling correct hither is the notion that fresh mint mightiness blend upwards simply similar that spinach did...

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You tin run into other accounts of this potluck (with photos of the amount spread!) on Laws of the Kitchen, Green Gourmet Giraffe, Veganise This.

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Surprise mint choc-chip icecream
(adapted from a recipe on In The Mood For Noodles,
where it's credited to gluten gratis easily)

1 loving cup fresh infant spinach leaves, stems removed
two x 400mL cans kokosnoot milk
2/3 loving cup agave nectar
two teaspoons peppermint extract
pinch of salt
80g night chocolate
1/4 loving cup kokosnoot oil

Blend the spinach leaves together alongside 1/4 loving cup of the kokosnoot milk to cast a smoothen dark-green liquid - nosotros accept a spice grinding attachment that achieved this but a criterion blender should belike work. Strain the liquid if you're concerned nearly whatever remaining spinach clumps. Mix inwards the remaining kokosnoot milk, thus the agave, peppermint too salt. Taste too adjust the flavor remainder to your preference, remembering that sweetness tends to tiresome inwards frozen foods. Chill the mixture thoroughly, thus churn it inwards an icecream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

While the icecream is churning, gently melt together the chocolate too kokosnoot oil. When the icecream is fix to freeze, transfer a 3rd of it into an airtight plastic container too drizzle over a 3rd of the chocolate. Repeat these layers alongside the remaining icecream too chocolate. Place the icecream inwards the freezer for a dyad of minutes to allow the chocolate to harden, thus retrieve it too nail the chocolate into chunks alongside a spoon, stirring them evenly through the icecream. Return the icecream to the freezer for several hours to draw of piece of job solid upwards properly.