Toasted Pecan & Date Caramel Coconut Milk Ice Cream

It's been raining here every day this week and I'm one of the few people that really loves and embraces this type of weather.  I overhead someone complaining the other day about it not being sunny.  I wonder if that same person will be complaining when it's 100 degrees in a few short weeks.  I've been especially grateful for the rain this week because it's been keeping the temperatures down and making a broken air conditioner in my apartment a little more bearable.  Good thing I also had this tasty ice cream to help cool me down as well.

I guess technically it's not ice cream since it's made from coconut milk.  I think the proper term is "non dairy frozen dessert".  But, that sounds ridiculous, so I'm just going to go with ice cream if that's okay with you. I've been a little underwhelmed with the vegan ice cream options available to me locally so I decided to just bite the bullet and make some this past weekend.  The resulting ice cream was an homage to a certain Texas company's pecan pralines and cream.  But, it's healthier, made from whole food ingredients, and a lot tastier.

The ice cream does take a bit of planning ahead due to the chilling/freezing time, so keep that in mind if you want to make it.  I ended up tossing the toasted pecans with a bit of vegan butter to give them a little more depth and flavor, but it's definitely up to you.  You can actually omit the caramel, replace the vodka with a GF-friendly bourbon, and you've got yourself a buttered pecan ice cream.  But, I highly recommend giving this version a go first.  Enjoy your weekend friends :)

Toasted Pecan & Date Caramel Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Ice Cream Base

2 cans full fat coconut milk
contents of 1 vanilla bean
pinch of salt
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (I use grade b)
1 tbsp plain vodka (make sure it's a GF friendly brand, like Tito's)

In a large bowl, whisk together everything until smooth.  Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Toasted Pecans

heaped cup of pecans
1/2 tbsp vegan butter (optional)

Spread the pecans evenly on a cookie sheet and place it in an oven preheated to 300 degrees.  Toast the pecans until fragant and golden, about 20-25 minutes.  Remove the pecans, roughly chop them up, then toss them in the vegan butter if using.  Set aside until ready to assemble the ice cream.

Salted Date Caramel
adapted from here

20 pitted dates + boiling water
contents of 1 vanilla bean
juice from 1 small lemon
2 good pinches of sea salt
a couple of splashes of coconut milk

Cover the dates with boiling water, then set them aside to soften for 15 minutes.  Drain the dates, then add them to a blender or food processor along with the remaining ingredients.  Blend until smooth, adding more coconut milk if necessary.  Set aside until ready to assemble the ice cream.

Assembling the Ice Cream

Remove the chilled ice cream base from the fridge and process it according to your ice cream maker's instructions.  During the last few minutes of churning time, slowly add in 3/4 of the toasted pecans.  Once the ice cream is ready (it will be a soft-serve consistency), spread 1/3 of it into whatever container you will keep it in.  Put a few dollops of the date caramel on top of the ice cream, then gently swirl it in.  Continue with the remaining ice cream.  You will most likely have date caramel left over.  Sprinkle the remaining pecans on top of the ice cream, then cover it and freeze until firm.  I recommend letting it sit out 10-15 minutes before scooping and eating.  Makes 8-10 servings.