Berry Season

I don't love ice cream.  Don't get me wrong, I can really enjoy it once in a while, but its not something I always keep a pint of in the freezer.  My grandmother, on the other hand, lives for the stuff.  She can't go to bed without getting her fix.  I won't theorize here why she's got a standing appointment with the frozen treat, but I'm sure we could have a long and somewhat racy discussion about it.

Since attending culinary school, where the focus was on vegan ice creams with homemade nut milks, I've become more interested in actually making the stuff.  I think every time I've been the guest chef at one of their Friday Night Dinners, I've included ice cream in the dessert.  Most recently, I was inspired by my a friend's Facebook post regarding blackberries, which are currently in season.  The result is one of my favorite ice creams I've made to date, which is really saying something, because when it comes down to it, chocolate is my thing.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, you love ice cream, or you're sensitive to dairy, like me, I highly recommend getting one.  Even if you only use it twice a year, its worth the fifty bucks for a really high quality home-made dessert.

(For many at-home ice cream makers, the bowl of the machine must be kept in the freezer at least a few days to ensure proper churning.  I keep my bowl in the freezer almost all the time, just to make sure its REALLY good and frozen.)

Vegan Blackberry Ice Cream
makes 1 quart

1 pint blackberries, gently washed (mmm...Greenmarket...)
1 cup whole cashews, soaked overnight and rinsed
1 can full-fat coconut milk (I like Thai Kitchen)
1 cup maple syrup, divided
1/2 teaspoon vodka (keeps the ice cream from getting too icy)
pinch sea salt

In a medium saucepan toss blackberries with 1/4 cup maple syrup.  Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries are falling apart.  When slightly cooled, strain berries and their juices through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl.   Using a rubber spatula, press all the liquid from the blackberries.  The more liquid extracted will result in a stronger flavored ice cream.  Set syrup aside.

Put cashews in at least a 2-cup capacity measuring cup, and add filtered water to the 2-cup line.  Blend thoroughly with immersion blender.  Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, using a spatula to press all the "milk" out of the pulp. Whisk this cashew milk and blackberry syrup together, along with the coconut milk, 3/4 cup maple syrup, vodka, and salt.  (If your coconut milk is at all lumpy, you may wish to strain this through a sieve as well.)  Whisk until well combined and refrigerate thoroughly.  I like to chill my ice cream base overnight, as I find it churns much faster and efficiently.

Churn according to ice cream maker instructions.  Freeze churned ice cream for at least 3 hours, or overnight, before serving to firm up. (Referred to as "curing.")

* I prefer using half coconut milk and half cashew milk as my ice cream base, but feel free to experiment with using all coconut milk, or other nut milks.