A bit early in the year for posting ice cream recipes? Never!!!!! These Vegan Mint-Chocolate Ice Cream Bites simply can’t and won’t wait for summer.
Yep. You heard that right. These little babies are VEGAN as well as gluten free. Made with my recently-discovered favourite ingredient….. Condensed Coconut Milk from Nature’s Charm, they are absolutely delicious…… Crisp, bite-size, minty dark chocolate shells, encasing rich mint ice-cream, flecked with extra grated dark chocolate…. Heaven!
Better still, the ice cream is no churn….. which means no need for fancy equipment. Okay…. they are still a bit fiddly (and a bit messy) to make, I won’t lie….. but believe me….. they are worth every last minty, chocolatey bite.
A variation on my Vegan No Churn Rich Chocolate Ice Cream, I made these a while back when I had more time and energy, but with everything that has been happening here, they have been sitting in my photo-box (long since devoured), waiting for me to get my blogging act back together…..
The easiest way to make the ice-cream into mini-bites is using silicone mini-muffin or ice cube moulds, but if you have more ice cream than moulds, pour the remainder of the ice cream batter into a suitable-sized, clingfilm-lined cake tin and use a warm knife to cut into bars into cubes when set (before dipping into the chocolate).
This is not the first time that I have made Ice Cream Bites. I previously made some incredibly fruity, summery Raspberry Ripple-White Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream Bars and Bites. The title may have been a mouthful, but the bites were perfectly-sized morsels of sweet, creamy coconut-based ice cream, rippled with tart, frosty, Honeyed Raspberry Syrup. Not quite vegan, but easily adaptable for sure.
As with their raspberry ripple predecessors, these Vegan Mint-Chocolate Ice Cream Bites are coated in a ‘magic’ chocolate coating, made from melted dark chocolate mixed with a little coconut oil. If you don’t know about the magic in this mix, then try making it. You don’t need to be a chemist to appreciate how clever it is. The added coconut oil ensures that your melted chocolate stays liquid even at room temperature….. but when it comes into contact with the cold, frozen ice cream, it instantly sets into a crisp layer…… Sort of like the ‘Crackin’ chocolate sauce you get in the supermarkets, but way better and way healthier!
So if you want a bit of a treat this Easter, Spring, Summer……. or (frankly) any time of the year, give these Bites a try……
Gluten free AND Vegan (or thinking of heading that way?) – check out my post on Gluten Free Vegan – Surviving Veganuary and Beyond
Vegan Mint-Chocolate Ice Cream Bites
Ingredients – Ice Cream
60g dairy free dark/dark mint chocolate – very finely chopped/grated
a tiny drop of green food colouring to gently tint (optional)
Method
- You will need to chill your 3 tins of coconut milk overnight prior to making your ice cream. The straight coconut milk will separate whilst chilling and the cream within the can will harden during this process.
- Before you begin, ensure that the bowl you are using to make the ice cream can fit into the freezer (temporarily).
- When thoroughly chilled, being careful not to shake, open up the two cans of straight coconut milk and (depending on whether you have opened the can with the cream or liquid layer at the top) either tip off the coconut water into a glass and scoop out the coconut cream that is left into a bowl, or scoop the coconut cream off the top to a bowl and pour the leftover coconut water into a glass (save the coconut water to drink or put in a smoothie).
- Whisk the coconut cream until light and airy. If it starts to become too loose, place the bowl in the fridge for half an hour to re-chill.
- Add the chilled condensed coconut milk, peppermint extract, chopped/grated chocolate and food colouring (if using) and fold through until fully combined.
- Place the bowl in the freezer for one to two hours (depending on how cold your freezer is) to harden slightly and then remove and whisk again to add air.
- Spoon the ice cream into small silicone cake moulds/ice cube moulds, level off with a spatula and place in the freezer (over night) to harden as much as possible before you coat with chocolate.
Magic Dark Chocolate Coating
4 tablespoons coconut oil
Method
- Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave on medium setting at 30 second bursts, stirring frequently until smooth and liquid. Remove from the heat.
- Add the coconut oil and stir until completely melted and fully combined.
- Leave to cool to room temperature, before using to coat the ice cream bars.
Putting it all together :
- Make sure the ice cream is as cold and hard as possible and remove from the moulds.
- Dependent on how warm it is when you are doing this (and how quickly the ice cream appears to soften), you may wish to put the ice cream portions back into the freezer for a short while before you proceed to the next stage.
- When ready, dip the ice cream portions into the chocolate mix. For small ice cream bites, you should be able to cover completely in one dip (I twisted a cocktail stick into each before dipping to allow for coating evenly without holding the ice cream). For larger ice cream bars, dip each one half at a time (holding with tongs), allowing the chocolate on one half to harden before turning over and dipping the other half. The chocolate should harden very quickly on contact with the ice cream. As it sets, place on a tray lined with baking paper and put back in the freezer to re-harden as soon as possible.
- When they are ready, carefully remove any cocktail sticks and store in airtight containers in the freezer.
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I would love to give these minty bites an outing into my mouth. They look enticing and sound wonderful. I've not come across coconut condensed milk before but I absolutely will be looking out for it now. I like your coconut oil tip. it's a good one if you're going to freeze the chocolate anyway.
Thanks for sharing with #WeshouldCocoa.
Thank you Choclette. You really need to track down the coconut condensed milk….. it is so good! x
Oh wow Kate! I knew you'd attempt mint ice cream after your first condensed coconut milk ice cream recipe, but I didn't expect you to turn the ice cream into those little beauties! They look absolutely incredible! x
Ha ha! Thanks Mel. I live up to expectations then, but not totally predictable….. I like that!
Actually I'm really peed off….. I have another amazing ice cream that I have made, but when I went to the freezer this morning, I found that Mr GF had taken a slice out of it….. so he's completely destroyed any chance of photographing it! NOT happy x
I have never made icecream using condensed milk and must give it a go! These ice cream bites looks delicious 🙂
Oh you must Petra. If you eat dairy, there are loads of great recipes on this blog and elsewhere for no churn ice creams made with condensed milk….. and if you can't eat dairy, the coconut condensed milk I used in this recipe is such a find! x
It's definitely not too early for ice cream! I love the sound of how that chocolate coating sets when you put it on the ice cream – definitely something to try for the kids!
I agree….. NEVER too early for ice cream. The magic chocolate is pretty cool….. the kids would love it for sure! x
These look PERFECT! Can't wait to try them.
Thank you Mandy. Enjoy! x
Kate these look delicious – I think I still have a tin of coconut condensed milk left – I made some luscious toffee with it and used it for my sticky toffee puddings! I didn't think of using it for ice-cream! What a great idea. Thanks so much for sharing over at Fiesta Friday
Thank you. Toffee with Coconut condensed milk sounds amazing…. I'll have to add the to my 'must make' list! x
I have yet to try the coconut condensed milk so this inspires me to get right on it, these look so fun and delicious. Thank you for sharing at Fiesta Friday!
You're welcome Zeba. You must try and get hold of some of the condensed coconut milk. It's amazing stuff. x
They sound so good, mint choc chop is my fave!
Thanks Kat x
This looks so delicious and ice cream is completely seasonless in my opinion! #CookBlogShare
Thanks Monika. In mine too x
Definitely never too early for ice cream!!! And I love that it's no churn 😀 Condensed coconut milk sounds great – what a fab find!! Eb x
I agree Eb…. I can eat ice cream any time. The condensed coconut milk is such a great ingredient x
Nope! Never too early for ice cream, especially vegan ice cream I can eat!!!
Ha ha! Yep….. xx
Wow! These look so good!! Sound perfect to me! Thanks for sharing and happy Fiesta Friday!
Thanks Jhuls…. You're welcome x
these look delicious – would make a fun dessert. When I was little I really loved choc mint ice cream but I am sure I would love these.
Thanks Johanna. What's not to love???? I think you would really enjoy them x