I have a confession to make – I am jolly proud of this ice-cream, because it is just ‘out of this world’. Some gastronomic creations have to be sampled, savoured, and properly assimilated in order that each tastebud gets a chance to absorb the goodness, the deliciousness and the wonderful combination of flavours.
This ice-cream is packed with flavours, and it is a combination of them that simply make love to each other – cinnamon, pistachio, almonds, and cashews are blended to make the nuttiest ice-cream on the planet – sweet, rich nuttiness of the nuttiest kind.
The texture is delightful and smooth ! Incidentally it’s cholesterol-free and sugar-free – and as if that weren’t enough, it’s Vegan at its super best. Try it and you’ll never look back.
This is a taster from my forthcoming vegan ice-cream book.
NOTE : You will need an ice-cream maker for this recipe. If you do not own one yet, the following link shows how to make ice-cream without an ice-cream maker : http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/kitchen/icecream.htm
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup blanched almonds – presoak for a few hours, then drain and discard water
- 1 cup cashews – presoak for a few hours
- 1 cup pistachios – presoak for a few hours
- 120 ml Agave syrup
- a few drops of almond essence
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 cups mineral water
- 20 g cornstarch
METHOD
First drain the nuts (discarding the water) and place them with the cinnamon and 1 cup of spring water in your liquidizer, and blend together until nuts are virtually completely pulped. Then add the other 3 cups of spring water, a cup at a time, blending for a further 15-20 seconds before adding each cup. I have a powerful liquidizer with a sharp blade, and therefore find there to be no need to strain my nut milk after blending – but if you find there are small bits of nut residue left after blending, pass your milk through a fine mesh cloth, or cheese cloth.
Secondly, mix your cornstarch with half a cup of your milk, to create a paste (as though making a white sauce). Mix the agave syrup and almond essence with the rest of the milk, and heat almost to boiling point. Then add your cornstarch paste, and leave simmering for a further two minutes, stirring continuously for about two minutes to avoid sticking. Your mixture should thicken nicely at this stage. Take off the heat, and allow to cool. Store in a container in the fridge for a few hours, or ideally overnight.
Make your ice-cream in your ice-cream maker according to its instructions, using this mixture in the same way you would any other, and storing in freezer. You may wish to decorate each portion with a few crushed pistachios when serving, as I did. Enjoy this heavenly nutty treat !
All recipes, content & design © Miriam Sorrell mouthwateringvegan.com 2010
These are free recipes for your pleasure – all we ask in return is that you take a few moments to leave a constructive comment !
September 9th, 2011 at 2:44 pm
wow
makes me wanna go and get the ice-cream maker, i thought till this day that veggo ice cream were unobtanium 
September 9th, 2011 at 10:53 pm
Hi, Miriam.
I can’t wait to try the recipe, but is the water the nuts are soaked in included in the recipe? Is the one cup of water from the nuts or plain water?
Thank You!
~Bethy Levy
September 10th, 2011 at 7:32 am
Your icecream looks deliciously divine! What’s more, it is an easy, fuss free recipe with healthy ingredients. I’ll keep this bookmarked till I get an icecream machine – soon. Thanks Miriam
September 10th, 2011 at 8:21 am
OMG OMG OMG. This is THE most best thing I’ve ever laid hands on
awesome recipe, no one could tell it was vegetarian
September 10th, 2011 at 10:22 am
This looks wonderful, Miriam. I can hardly wait to try it. I love the idea of the blend of nuts. I don’t have an ice cream maker, but saw on Youtube someone making a sort of ice
cream using two ziplock plastic bags, ice cubes, and salt. I wonder if this would work with that technique?
September 10th, 2011 at 10:24 am
It may result in a softer ice cream. You shake the bag vigorously, for ten minutes or more, and get a soft ice cream. Anyway, this looks like a lovely recipe!
September 10th, 2011 at 10:28 am
Andy Hi there, thanks for your wonderful comment – if I may add that it’s also unbelievable that it’s totally dairy free, which makes it totally vegan (and cholesterol free and sugar free too) ! Glad you love it. Look forward to your future comments too. Cheers !
September 10th, 2011 at 10:32 am
Hi Veroni thanks so very much for your wonderful comment. Ice-cream machines these days are not that costly as they once where – ours is a Kenwood and does a fabulous job. Meantime, if you can’t wait to make it here is a link to how to make it without a machine – hope this helps http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/kitchen/icecream.htm
It’s worth the try for the outcome. Cheers Veroni and best to you !
September 10th, 2011 at 10:35 am
Bethy Hi there. Thanks so much for your comment and enquiry – have adjusted the recipe and the water the nuts are soaked in is discarded, so you can throw it away, it is not used in the ice-cream mix. Still use good water like spring water to soak them in, it’s still worth it. Hope you manage to make it and enjoy it too, it does taste very delicious. Cheers !
September 10th, 2011 at 10:39 am
Artur Hi there and welcome to my site. Ice cream makers are not expensive these days (I think they used to be) – mine is a Kenwood and does an excellent job. Meantime if you still wish to make it and don’t have a machine, make it according to my instructions, but before pouring into the ice-cream machine, follow these instructions from this link which tells you what to do if you don’t have an ice-cream machine (It’s very easy) – http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/kitchen/icecream.htm – hope this helps and incidentally I am currently writing my Vegan Ice Cream Book, so in the future you may look into that if you wish. Best to you and cheers !
September 10th, 2011 at 7:06 pm
Thank You so much for your kind reply, Miriam!
I can’t wait to try your recipe.
Bless You and Yours,
~Bethy
September 11th, 2011 at 1:04 pm
Bethy Hi again and hope you enjoy it – look forward to your future comments. Cheers !
September 13th, 2011 at 4:57 am
Have made the mixture, its in the frig cooling so I can put it in the machine later tonite. Will let you know how it turns out. No access to spring water here in India where I live…so i used filtered water. Not the same thing, but I hope it works….it already tastes awesome!
September 13th, 2011 at 1:39 pm
Kamini Hi and welcome to my food blog. I await your response. Had a peek at your blogstpot and love the colors (will re-visit). I am also an artist and I found it very inspiring. Look forward to your ice-cream setting and hope you enjoy it ! (Note: I notice you say you are in India, hope you try out my curries at some point too, can I also ask you, how did you find my recipe blog?). Thanks & Cheers to you !
September 21st, 2011 at 8:34 am
This is what I’m talking about! OMG sooo yummy! Can’t wait to try it!
September 21st, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Alma Hi there – let me know what you think once you try this ice-cream – I think you might like this since I think you also like nuts. Cheers !
September 22nd, 2011 at 3:51 am
I loved this mouthwatering(true to the word)ice cream recipe. But a few questions. I live in India and I don’t find agave syrup and almond essence very easily . I heard its found in a store where its very expensive . What do I replace these with?
I shall try out and give you my comments about the ice-cream!
September 22nd, 2011 at 1:26 pm
Hi Helen and welcome to my blog. If you cannot find Agave then use another sweetener of your choice or brown sugar. As for the almond essence if you cannot find a cheap version, then I suggest you leave it out, add a little cardamon instead and may be a few more nuts. Hope you enjoy it !
September 29th, 2011 at 10:45 am
Hi Miriam, this ice cream looks awesome but i wonder if my stick blender can make it. I’m making a lot of nut milk but usually straining lots of pulp. Do you think it’ll still be good?? Or should i try and make it like cashew cheese, without straining and a bit grainy
.
September 29th, 2011 at 11:20 am
Yshai Hi, welcome to my site and thanks for your comment – Mmmm, I think that if you are using any nuts, so long as they are raw and without skins then you are safe. I don’t know how powerful your blender is to process – but personally I don’t mind a grainy texture, and by the time it freezes even less so. That said let me know how it goes and enjoy the process. Best to you.
September 29th, 2011 at 5:56 pm
I CAN”T WAIT TO MAKE THIS!!
October 1st, 2011 at 3:16 pm
Stephanie Hi again – I just wanted to say that I feel this recipe you will very much like ! I will only ask that you come back and tell me what you ( and your palette) have to report. Cheers to you !
April 29th, 2012 at 10:27 pm
Miriam,
I have been using your recipes for over a year and…….you have out-done yourself with this one, love. I love the fact that, for me (!!!) I may need some help from my hubby. What a fun time we will have!! And the sugar-free agave recipes are so welcome as his diabetes is becoming controlled solely by food only. To think that 18 months ago my husband gave himself 4-6 shots a day and took up to 10 pills a day and now takes no shots and 1-3 pills a day (if needed) still brings tears to my eyes. Becoming a Vegan saved so many precious animals, and with the help of friends like you, it saved my husband’s life too. I am sincerely grateful for you.
April 30th, 2012 at 9:54 am
Elaine Hi there and thanks so much for dropping by here with your wonderful comment. I am so totally thrilled that you are using and enjoying my recipes and that your husband is benefiting so much from them and the vegan diet. Great of you to ‘spoil’ him in this way. How awesome about his diabetes – managing it is the key, and all seems to be that way, no wonder you are so thrilled. I very much look forward to your future comments on my blog (do try the pesto dish I have just posted up, it’s very fast to make and full of flavour). Cheers Elaine !
August 14th, 2012 at 9:01 am
inspiring !truly inspiring!Why is spring water needed?I dont’ve access to it.Wud it compromise the final product, plz.?
August 14th, 2012 at 9:53 am
Hi there Sonal. I mention spring water because in some places tap water won’t do, but if yours is good and safe, then go for it. I really meant to say mineral water, sorry for typo, will alter it now. Best wishes your way in the meantime and hope you make and enjoy this delight.
August 20th, 2012 at 10:10 pm
Sound good but with so many nuts is High in fats good fats but still way to much
August 21st, 2012 at 8:02 am
Hi there Maria and thanks for dropping by here. If you are on a diet for weight loss this is not the ice cream to choose for yourself. With regards to it having way too many nuts, well, that is why I called it ‘Nutty’ – it’s dairy free and far healthier than a dairy ice-cream. May be a sugar free sorbet made with fresh fruit would be more apt for your diet if so. Remember that portion size also accounts for weight gain, small portions are advisable, this ice cream is rich and is served in a very small cup. Best.
August 26th, 2012 at 3:00 pm
Hello Miriam,
I can’t even express the feeling that I get when I look at your blog. I have been trying to eat better and I am currently on day 4 of a 10 day juice fast. In the meantime I find myself perusing through your recipes. I am seriously considering a vegan lifestyle after this fast (though I still have a strong attraction to fish and shrimp). Just looking at these recipes are so inspiring.I look forward to cooking them when the fast is complete.
August 26th, 2012 at 4:41 pm
Hi there dear Collette and welcome here. Thank you for dropping by here with your wonderful comment. Firstly kudos to you for your fast juice. Second of all I too am glad that you have found my site. Am delighted that you like my blog and also that you are considering a vegan lifestyle – good move. That said, there are often one or two things that are missed in the beginning of becoming vegan, in your case it’s fish. I must admit that the only way to overcome that is by delicious recipes that you put on your table on a daily basis – fish will then become something of the past. You have the option to either wean yourself of it, or to go the route I suggest and make it something of the past. I think certainly from what you have said that you are on the right track. I very much look forward to your future comments here Collette and any questions just let me know. Hope you enjoy the cooking and eating experience once your fast has run it’s course. Best wishes your way in the meantime !
September 18th, 2012 at 7:23 pm
Hi Miriram,
first of all thank you for your wonderful and crueltyfree recipies.Let alone how beautiful they all look.
I`m from Germany so i´m not so familiar with measurements in cups.Can you tell me the measurements in ml or gramm.
( for the nutty ice cream ) Thank you so far.
VEGAN REVOLUTION!!
September 19th, 2012 at 12:36 pm
Hi Boris and thanks for your comment. 1 cup = 250 ml hope this helps. Hope you enjoy the ice-cream ! Cheers !