Almost Guiltless Chocolate Mint Ice Cream (Vegan)

Good things come to those who wait.

That ice cream craving? Well, Rob had pity on me and picked up a pint (2 actually) for us to share. After building it up in my head, it was a bit lackluster. Not that I am complaining. Vegan ice cream just isn’t Haagen Dazs. Which is probably a good thing.

It seems like everyone was bitten by the ice cream bug now that the sun is out. I am seeing recipes everywhere. However, without full-fat coconut milk and an ice cream machine, I thought I was out of luck. Until now. (I feel like I am Dr Greger from NutritionFacts.org, hehe)

This time, I wasn’t planning on making ice cream. I was making a version of my Almost Guiltless Chocolate Mousse Pie: an almost guiltless chocolate mint mousse, sans crust. Which I did, and it is very, very good. But then I put one tumbler in the freezer. Just in case.

I think our freezer has some funky freezing cycle thing because even the ice cream from the store was rock solid after a night in our house. It was torture trying to scoop it out.  Rob had the brilliant idea to let it thaw. I know, novel idea. But he suggested thawing it in the fridge. So, I came back in an hour and the ice cream was deliciously smooth and creamy.

I decided to try that with my frozen mousse. It was a bona fide rock solid when I initially took it from the freezer. Then I popped it in the fridge. Waited 1-2 hours for it to thaw and then I scooped in.

Glorious! Creamy chocolate mint. Melting in your mouth. Oh yes. I just have to plan for my ice cream cravings.

Before you look at the recipe, I’ll have you know it was a pantry purge success. I know some people have had difficulties with the mousse setting with the original recipe but I have never had any problems. I have made it with soft, firm and extra-firm tofu (although always the silken aseptic tofu). I figured it was pretty flexible so I experimented.

No chocolate chips here, I finally used up my unsweetened chocolate. The 100% chocolate that Rob bought for chocolate fondu once upon a time… and let me tell you, it is very bitter. I also had some cacao butter which I supplemented with cocoa powder, which I figured was equivalent to chocolate. I ended up adding the sweetener to taste as I went along as well as the peppermint extract (Katie suggested 1/8 tsp, which barely registered on my tongue’s radar). This is minty but not that sweet. The cacao butter gave this a really nice mouth feel, both as a mousse and as an ice cream.

Thank goodness, I think my ice cream quest has been settled. At least for now. 🙂

What are you craving these days?

This is my submission to this month’s We Should Cocoa for mint.

Almost Guiltless Chocolate Mint Mousse (or) Ice Cream
Adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie, my Almost Guiltless Chocolate Mousse Pie and Sexy Maca Chocolate

2 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (2 squares)
2 oz cacao butter, coarsely chopped (you could substitute unsweetened chocolate but taste for sweetness and add less cocoa powder) (~1/3 cup unmelted)
12.3 oz silken tofu (you want the aseptic kind like Mori-Nu; I used extra firm)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp nondairy milk (I used sweetened original almond milk)
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp peppermint extract, or to taste
1/4 cup agave or other sweetener, to taste

1. In a double boiler, melt your chocolate and cacao butter on low heat on the stovetop (or in the microwave).

2. Meanwhile, place tofu in a food processor (I used my Vitamix this time) and blend until smooth. Add cocoa powder, vanilla, nondairy milk, salt, peppermint extract and blend until smooth. Add melted chocolate and blend until smooth. Taste, add agave and adjust to taste.

3. Pour into your ramekins or bowls.

4. For a mousse: Place in refrigerator until chilled, at least an hour. It will firm up. For an ice cream: freeze until frozen. Then allow to defrost until you can eat it (1-2 hours thawing in the fridge).

Serves 6.