Peach & Thyme Ice Cream
I have been doing ice cream research pretty much since the moment I switched to paleo. I love ice cream, I am not Ross from Friends, and it is NOT “too cold”. My trusty friends Ben and Jerry have been with me during many a wallow, so to think of a life without ice cream was just plain sad. Thankfully there are a multitude of options lately (dairy free is trending, who knew?), but with the store bought kind, I am stuck with either paying over $7 for a pint, or more if I dare to search for a healthier version. I have a reaction to Monk Fruit sweetener and I have found that if you are looking for a sugar alternative, this is to go to. Whole Foods and Fred Meyer have a kind called Cado ( Lemon is my go to flavor) that is certified organic, but still has cane sugar in it.
So I embarked on some research to find a way to make dairy free, gluten free, and refined sugar free ice cream that 1) tasted good, 2) didn’t cost a fortune, 3) used ingredients that most people either have at home, or can find at any grocery store. I went down rabbit holes of articles that explained why you had to use one ingredient over all the alternatives. And then the next article said never to use that ingredient. I found a ton of recipes that make “nice” cream with blended bananas, as alluring as it was to take that route and avoid all the rest of the research, I passed on that option.
Now was the time to pick which flavor profile I wanted to attempt. I wanted something that was fresh, sweet, but not overpowering. i love the idea of using fresh herbs and bringing an earthy tone to this dessert. There is a local(ish) ice cream shop that sells a vegan Strawberry Balsamic ice cream, and that was my inspiration to look outside the pint (see what I did there , gosh I am punny).
Ingredients:
4 ripe peaches, halved and pitted
1 Tbsp honey, for roasting
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp vodka (I used Tito’s Vodka)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped and stemmed'
1 tsp sea salt
1 can (14 oz) coconut cream
1 can coconut cream
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place peaches cut side up on a parchment lined baking pan. Drizzle 1 Tbsp honey across peaches.
Place in oven for about 30-40 minutes.
Once cool enough to handle, remove peel and mash to a rough consistency. Place in airtight bowl and place in fridge to cool completely.
In a blender, add honey, thyme, vodka, vanilla, and salt. Blend until well incorporated.
Add in can of coconut cream, and blend for 2 minutes.
Place in airtight bowl and place in fridge for about 3 hours.
Using your ice cream maker- follow instructions on your ice cream maker, mine took about 25 minutes to become frozen. (My specific maker is not sold anymore, but this is the newer version here)
Remove from ice cream maker, and let sit in freezer for at least 3 hours. The longer it sits, the better, overnight if possible.
Enjoy!
