Variations on a Theme: Pineapple

When serving ice cream, I love planning out the flight of flavors we serve up. One you might try is variations on theme of pineapple.

Pineapple and Cream Ice Cream

Although I love my pineapple sorbet, sometimes I want something creamier and this ice cream delivers.

Blueberries and Cream Ice Cream

This is similar to the Vegan Macerated Strawberry Ice Cream recipe, but with blueberries, instead.

This recipe does not require the blueberries to be strained because the seeds are so small.

Although I love the flavor and texture of this ice cream, my digestion doesn't. This might be because of the blueberries, like I used to be sensitive to strawberries. On the other hand, it might be because the seeds are still in the mixture. I need to experiment more to know for sure.

Raspberries and Cream Ice Cream

This is similar to the Vegan Macerated Strawberry Ice Cream recipe, but with raspberries, instead. Because I run the raspberries through a strainer to remove the seeds (they're bad for my diet and I do not like catching them in my teeth), this has a very smooth texture.

Vegan Macerated Strawberry Ice Cream

The flavor of this ice cream is spectacular. Pineapple and I love the taste and texture. Pineapple states that she could "mainline it". Unfortunately, I am sensitive to strawberry seeds so I can only consume this once per week or I pay a digestive price.

One peculiar thing to note is that coconut enhances the strawberry flavor. So although you could substitute standard dairy cream for the coconut cream, I do not recommend doing that. You will enjoy the flavor of this ice cream more if you use coconut cream.

Goat Milk Ice Cream

This particular recipe has been variously called "unctuous," "stinky," and like "moldy laundry." The ice cream definitely leans "goat heavy" which is something that not everyone likes.

Since I am sensitive to cow's milk but not goat milk, I thought this might be a good alternative for me. Because I like the flavor of goat milk, I like the flavor of this ice cream (although I don't love it).

Pineapple, on the other hand, doesn't like the flavor of goat milk, so this ice cream does not work for her.

That being said, this ice cream is definitely an experience which people will talk about. We tried this out with various relatives and friends. They each delighted in seeing each other's reactions to the strong flavors brought by this ice cream. Some people like it. Most do not.

Vegan, Gluten-free Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

It's surprising how well this version of cookies and cream turns out. Typically, Pineapple and I quickly finish off the pint.

This recipe is based off of the recipe for Vegan Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream, so I am supplying a set of short instructions for quick reference

Vegan Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream

This is my standard chocolate "ice cream". Because I cannot have dairy, this is how I get the creaminess that I desire without the dairy. I'm not supposed to consume chocolate, either. More than just a little and my digestion gets upset.

Pineapple enjoys this recipe so I make it mostly for her. The darker version of this recipe is also great for mixing with some of the tart sorbets like raspberry or strawberry.

Vegan Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream

This is my standard vanilla "ice cream". Because I cannot have dairy, this is how I get the creaminess that I desire without the dairy. It's also a great base for all sorts of other ice creams.

I've run into several problems along the way, typically with texture. Understanding how to make this ice cream makes it easier to prepare the other vegan ice creams.

Originally I tried using a whisk to make these ice creams, but I often cannot get a smooth texture unless I put in a lot of work (my poor arms...). So I moved to using a blender to mix the ingredients and that worked better.

Sometimes, however, I would get a clumpy texture in the final ice cream. It appeared that the coconut cream had split like a typically dairy-based recipe might. With dairy, splitting cannot be fixed and you must start over. But with coconut cream, splitting means that you need to mix the cream for longer to get the ideal smooth, creamy texture. I detail how to do that in the first step of the instructions, below.

Eggnog Ice Cream

Apparently eggnog is now in season for Easter. I personally do not consume it because it contains both milk and eggs. But Pineapple loves eggnog so when I saw it in the store long after Christmas, I picked up a half-gallon for her.

On a whim, we wondered if we could turn it in to an ice cream via the Ninja CREAMi and found success!

This is an easy treat for anyone who does not need to avoid dairy or eggs. Although it's not compatible for me on the Paleo API protocol, for many other people this would work. We may try and create a version which works for me, but that will have to come some other day.

Vegan Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream

One of the experimental ideas Pineapple had was to create a sweet potato pie-style ice cream. So we experimented a bit. She gave me a basic idea of what she wanted (sweet potato and cinnamon with the ice cream base) and I tried it out. The first iteration needed cinnamon. The next, needed something crunchy. Finally, it needed some salt and now we have a winner!

The cinnamon and sweet potato really shine in this ice cream. The salt helps keep the sweet potato lively. The texture of the ice cream is amazingly smooth and the mix-in helps you get the crunch that would normally come from the crust of an actual pie. The oat milk is also necessary to help bring in the pie crust flavor.

You will need to cook the sweet potato beforehand. The Ninja CREAMi is not intended to blend anything; a frozen, raw sweet potato will probably damage the machine and would likely give you a fibrous, stringy texture. Cooking the sweet potato in the sous vide will preserve the sweet potato flavor while softening the sweet potato and breaking down the fibers. You could try baking or boiling the sweet potato, but I cannot guarantee the results.

Ninja CREAMi: Ice Cream is Back!

There are 2 big things I miss on my diet: ice cream and potato chips. I can now have ice cream again, albeit a little different from what I used to get.

Because dairy (i.e. cow's milk) now bothers my digestion I cut it out entirely. I found some sheep's milk and goat milk ice creams, but those include guar gum which makes my mouth feel fuzzy. I've gotten pure coconut ice creams, but those also contain guar gum.

I've purchased several different sorbets. Sometimes they work for me, but only if they do not include guar gum or other bean derivatives nor anything I am allergic to like mango or kiwi. Consequently, for me there is a dearth of other sorbet options. So I often do without.