Saturday, 11 February 2012

WW Healthy Chocolate Ice Cream

I am not a huge fan of ice cream but Sylvia loves it.  Her eyes light up at the mention of it.  So when I found myself with bananas that need to be used and a ripe avocado, I followed Not Quite Nigella's unlikely recipe and made chocolate ice cream.

It was my most successful ice cream venture so far.  Which is not saying much, considering my track record.  I felt I did better this time at stirring the freezing custard to break down the ice crystals than in previous ice cream attempts.  Or maybe it was just the banana and avocado were creamier anyway.

A minor problem was that I could detect a slight taste of avocado.  Not enough to put me off.  Worse were the choc chips.  I think the ones I used may have been heat affected.  But they were more like chips of cement than soft chocolate in the ice cream.  Next time I might use either finely grated chocolate or even just try melting the chocolate. 

All in all not a a bad way to please a child!  After all, who can resist an ice cream that not only is vegan and gluten free, but also has more fruit and veg than sugar!  Giving a child a scoop or two feels like saying, here have some fruit, have some vegetables!  Great to come home to after swimming lessons! 

I am sending this to Ricki's Wellness Weekends.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
This time last year: Cheeseymite, burgers and sylvia
This time two years ago: More baby food, more healthy muffins
This time three years ago: Tofu Burgers and Tennis
This time four years ago: WCC # 25 Velvet Soup from Nigellaland

Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream
from Not Quite Nigella

3 medium or 2 large bananas
1 ripe avocado
1/3 cup cocoa
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup dark choc chips (or cocoa nibs)

Chop banana flesh and freeze (I froze mine about 5-6 hours).  Blend in food processor with avocado flesh, cocoa and maple syrup until you have a creamy custardy mixture.  Stir in choc chips and place in plastic container in freezer.  Remove from freezer, stir and return to freezer after about an hour or two.  Do this about three times to break down the ice crystals and get a creamy texture.  To serve, leave out to soften for about 1 hour.

On the Stereo:
The Flying Club Cup: Beirut
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25 comments:

  1. Hazel - Chicken in a Cherry Sauce12 February 2012 at 01:03

    I've seen a similar recipe to this before. I find it very clever! I wonder what could mask the slight taste of avocado. A little more cocoa perhaps?! :)

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    1. Johanna GGG12 February 2012 at 22:52

      Thanks Hazel - yes lots of these sorts of recipes like this about but this one particularly took my interest - I think the avocado taste is not too bad just something I was aware of but I am sure I could get used to it

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  2. Cooksploratrice12 February 2012 at 02:32

    Dear Joanna, I love the concept of hiding avocado in chocolate ice cream. You make me want to try to make ice cream. Just like you made me want to try dumplings.

    Cooksploratrice (www.cooksploratrice.com)

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    1. Johanna GGG12 February 2012 at 22:52

      thanks cooksploratrice - hope you make it - it is lovely

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  3. Jacqueline Meldrum12 February 2012 at 03:20

    Brilliant Johanna! I will try this for Cooper. Could you email me this link Johanna? I'm not on my own computer and will probably forget, by the time I do get to my own one. I really don't want to forget. Thank you! *cheesy grin*

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    1. Johanna GGG12 February 2012 at 22:54

      Thanks Jac - have sent it - hope it is a hit!

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    2. Jacqueline Meldrum13 February 2012 at 10:44

      Thanks Johanna, I will let you know once I try it :)

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  4. Anonymous12 February 2012 at 06:28

    I love this easy yet tasty home-made ice cream using avocado's! that is a very clever & tasty idea! :) Yum!

    I am so going to try that tomorrow! thanks! :)

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    1. Johanna GGG12 February 2012 at 22:55

      Thanks Sophie - enjoy it - the avocado makes it very creamy

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  5. Caroline12 February 2012 at 09:42

    It looks great, and what a clever idea, to harness the natural sweetness and creaminess of banana and avodaco. Shame about the chocolate chips though. I hope you find a way of incorporating them so they don't break your teeth!

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    1. Johanna GGG12 February 2012 at 22:58

      Thanks C - I think I will avoid choc chips - I think my fave choc chip peppermint ice cream I loved when little had finely grated chocolate which is why I think this might work better

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  6. Cindy12 February 2012 at 12:09

    Nice! I've not used avocado like this in icecream but have enjoyed chocolate-flavoured banana soft serve.

    I've never got choc chips quite right in home-made icecream, it always turns into flavourless rocks. I'm wondering if we might have more luck rippling in some home-made ice magic.

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    1. Johanna GGG12 February 2012 at 22:59

      Thanks Cindy - my plan for my next ice cream is kari's raspberry and banana one so I think that home made ice magic would be brilliant on it - agree it would be so much better than chips

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  7. Kari12 February 2012 at 14:14

    Oh! I am definitely going to try this. After my success with chocolate avocado pudding and icing, I am sold on the concept. And this looks like the sort of ice cream I would enjoy (I'm usually in your camp and can take it or leave it). Thanks for the recipe :)

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    1. Johanna GGG12 February 2012 at 23:01

      Thanks Kari - must try your raspberry banana ice cream next - part of my problem with the take it or leave it attitude is that it gets forgotten in the freezer - we haven't had much of the chocolate ice cream - so it might be a while (my last ice cream lasted over a month)

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  8. Cakelaw12 February 2012 at 16:49

    Glad that Sylvia liked it - it sounds interesting.

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    1. Johanna GGG12 February 2012 at 23:01

      Thanks Cakelaw - am amazed at how much sylvia loves icecream

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  9. Hannah12 February 2012 at 17:29

    This is definitely an ice cream I can get behind, not generally being a big ice cream person myself. Though I've never liked chocolate in ice cream for precisely what you've noted: it generally becomes too hard and loses its flavour (there's a reason chocolate is supposed to be stored and eaten at around 16C or something like that :P )

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    1. Johanna GGG12 February 2012 at 23:02

      Thanks Hannah - actually the avocado and chocolate reminded me a bit of your raw brownies so I am sure you would enjoy it - but I agree that chocolate is best served room temp or warm - it is travesty to put it in the fridge and I have learnt my lesson with these choc chips !!!

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  10. lisa dempster12 February 2012 at 19:12

    Amazing! I've been eating a lot of banana soft serve, now imaginging how much creamier it would be with the addition of avocade. Going to try this one!

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    1. Johanna GGG12 February 2012 at 23:03

      Thanks Lisa - I think avocado makes it creamier - and then you are eating both vegetables and fruit in an ice cream - why not just call it dinner :-)

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  11. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella13 February 2012 at 15:35

    Sorry you didn't love it-the chunks do look quite big but mine were more varied sizes of chips and the chocolate was a really nice smooth one, I think that helps with melting when it is really cold.

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    1. Johanna GGG15 February 2012 at 18:06

      Thanks Lorraine - I did enjoy it but must remember to use smaller chocolate chunks next time - and maybe a better chocolate (I think ours was heat damaged)

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  12. eatme_delicious14 February 2012 at 07:07

    I've tried banana soft serve but never with avocado! Maybe try using cocoa powder instead of chocolate? I'm not sure how that would be.

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    1. Johanna GGG15 February 2012 at 18:07

      Thanks Ashley - there is cocoa in it - Lorraine also suggests cocoa nibs which might also work well for less of a crunch and probably healthier - I'm not so keen on banana by itself so I liked this idea of combining it with other flavours

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