Your Favorite Ice Cream Base?

[Nik]

OK - actually I'm looking for ideas for ice cream bases besides coconut meat or cashews. Although I understand those work great and are probably many people's favorites. Any other favorites though or good alternatives?

The thing is I want to keep my coconut meat consumption to a min. because I'm trying to make my diet as 100% organic as possible and have heard a lot of rumors about the young thai coconuts available. Like that they are dipped in chemicals or not farmed organically or sustainably etc. I don't know if the rumors are true but even if they are not, they are heavy and shipped from very far away and are all old, taking like 6-8 weeks to get to the store shelves. I have a hard time finding ones withouth purple mold or whatever it is on them and it's usually very hit or miss on how good or fresh they are. A lot of work too with getting the meat out and cleaning it all etc. So while I will still use them for some recipes and things, I would love to find a more sustainable and better and healthier alternative choice for things I want to make a lot of and large batches of - like Ice Cream!

And then with cashews, they are ok, but I've heard they are not really raw for the most part, are not really nuts but are legumes, and that they have the same toxins as peanuts on them. They are also expensive and hard for me to find raw and organic locally. So I limit my cashew intake too. I don't feel so great after eating them.

I love ice cream though! What are other great fat possibilities, raw and vegan? I know there are a lot of nuts and seeds to choose from, but please share your experience with ones you've tried for raw ice creams! Thanks! :D

[shelah]

nik,
there's no question that cashews and young coconuts make great ice cream.
what i have done to avoid the hassle of opening coconuts is to take your basic avocado - banana - cacao/carob - agave pudding recipe and put it in the ice cream maker. the result is like a gelato, very dense and rich. there are a few variations out there -- some omit the banana and use soaked dates instead of agave, for example.
anyway, i don't even like sweets, but i've made stuff for my husband. though he does like the pudding based one, he still MUCH prefers the coconut- cashew one. still thought i'd put it out to you to try if you're game.
also, let's not forget rp's chocolate mousse recipe, which she says freezes well for ice cream. it's made with walnuts and dates. haven't tried freezing it yet. maybe someone else will pipe in about it.
hope this helps.
many blessings,
shelah

[Ireland]

I usually start with frozen ripe bananas. My favourite is to add fresh papaya and whip it up in the food processor. Oh yeah, add a little vanilla if you like.

There are tons of variations using frozen bananas. Try drizzling a little honey and some pecans and a wee bit of salt.

Or add some raw chocolate to the frozen bananas and some agave to sweeten.

Good stuff - have fun. :)

[rawfigure]

I use frozen banana's as my base. I did like coconut meat and don't use cashews. So I get creative with banana's. Today I made banana and cherry with choc chips (made from raw choc powder and coconut oil frozen broken to chips)

[Nik]

The Banana's sound good, but they don't have much fat in them. Wouldn't be very rich and fatty.

Avocado's might work for darker richer flavors like chocolate but probably not for vanilla flavors as the color would be off and they kind of have an interesting flavor.

I'm going to buy an ice cream maker so I need something I can use for large quantities for my guests and parties.

I thought of Macadamia Nuts as the natural alternative close to Cashews, but they are very expensive. I'll look into the walnuts. I wonder how almonds or pine nuts taste. I guess almonds would need to be blanched and peeled.

[rawfigure]

The Banana's sound good, but they don't have much fat in them. Wouldn't be very rich and fatty.

Avocado's might work for darker richer flavors like chocolate but probably not for vanilla flavors as the color would be off and they kind of have an interesting flavor.

I'm going to buy an ice cream maker so I need something I can use for large quantities for my guests and parties.

I thought of Macadamia Nuts as the natural alternative close to Cashews, but they are very expensive. I'll look into the walnuts. I wonder how almonds or pine nuts taste. I guess almonds would need to be blanched and peeled.

If you want a fat ice cream and want to use banana's you can add coconut oil or cacao butter.

[Sunshine9]

Bananas are the easiest

If you want to do flavors without any banana taste
macadamias work
almonds work
hazelnuts work
raw pistashios probably work
you can use lecithin or irish moss to thinken where coconut meat would

bananas are easy though...

[sport]

I have given up even trying anything other than bananas because I think that there is nothing that even comes close.
I have tried mixing it with other frozen fruit and with almond milk but am back with the plain banana and planning to stick with it.
I find that it is creamier and smoother and easier to warm up in your mouth before you swallow it. I do not like to swallow icy bits because it kills the good guys in your intestines.

[star1919]

I like bananas too... :rolleyes:


Hey Rawfigure... what are some of your other icecream combinations? The cherries/choc chips sounds great!

[rawfigure]

I like bananas too... :rolleyes:


Hey Rawfigure... what are some of your other icecream combinations? The cherries/choc chips sounds great!

I freeze fresh fruit so I always have a supply and puree it thru my Omega, then mix the two together in the FP to make it creamy when I want to eat it freshy made.

I find that if I make it ahead and put in freezer for later eating it stays softer if I mix other items in.

The Black Forest is my Favorite. Cherries and Choc who can beat that for desert !

The other day I made Ice Cream w/ Almond Puree with a few Dates in it..yummmmmmmmmmmmmm
I have some Black Raspberries Ice Cream right now too. That is refreshing.
If you like Raw Choc., it makes a nice Chocolate Ice Cream I add stevia to make it sweeter as Cacoa can be bitter.
I have made Peach Swirl Ice Cream....YUM !
Vanilla with Choc Chips is always good.

[star1919]

Hi Rawfigure... Great combos! Thanks! :D

[barbluv]

Please give me the ice cream base made with bananas and coconut meat that you are tired of. I don't know about that one. I just posted a very simple recipe replying to if a ice cream maker is worth the money....