Chai & coconut milk ice cream

Photographer: Sara
Serves 8

I’ve recently returned from a 3 week holiday in the mighty USA; during our jaunt I became obsessed with the ‘all American diners’ – those institutions that have been running forever, open all day and all night, serving bottomless cups of filter coffee and giving regulars thier ‘usuals’.  Here in NZ I don’t typically become inspired by booth seating and laminated menus but in America I did and seeing those beautiful boats of pillowy ice cream, hot fudge sauce pooling over the sides and unnaturally bright sprinkles made me come home and want sundaes for every meal.  My waistline was something that did not benefit from my diner-loving, hence why Ive mde a healthier version – with coconut milk, banana and dark chocolate.

The ice cream quantity makes easliy enough for 8 ice creams, with leftovers.

If you have the luxury of owning an ice cream maker, use it.  I don’t so I’ve used the ‘take out and process every 45 mins – 2 hours technique’.

 

INGREDIENTS

Chai coconut milk ice cream
2 x 14oz cans coconut milk (I used Kara)
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp vanilla extract

Chai seasoning
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp salt

For the banana split (per person)
1/2 banana
1 tbsp melted dark chocolate
1 tbsp chopped raw cashews
sprinkles of your choice

METHOD

To make the ice cream
1. Grind the spices in an electric grinder or a mortar & pestle.
2. In a food processor, blend the coconut milk with the spice and honey.
3. Freeze in a metal or glass dish (I used 2 slice tins).
4. Stir / whisk the mixture every 45 minutes.
5. When it becomes too firm to stir, blend in a food processor every 2 hours.

If you are serving the follwoing day, remove 15 minutes before serving as it freezes harder than conventional ice cream.

To make the banana split
1. Dip the banana in melted dark chocolate then cover with chopped nuts and sprinkles.
2. In a boat, lay the banana and top with the coconut ice cream.