Mint and chocolate chip avocado ice cream

Recipe by Rachel Zammit Cutajar

Photo by Rachel Zammit Cutajar

Everyone likes a good ice cream, but if you’re trying to stay off the animal products this can be a little limiting. This vegan avocado ice cream is wonderful for vegans and the dairy-indulgent won’t even miss it

MINT AND CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM

Ingredients

• 400ml coconut cream, refrigerated overnight
• 3 ripe avocados
• ½ banana
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ lemon, juice only
• Small handful mint leaves
• 150g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

To garnish

• Handful walnuts, crushed
• Sprig of mint
• Chocolate shavings

Method

1. Carefully open the tin of coconut cream and scoop the hard cream off the top, being careful to leave the watery bit at the bottom. Keeping it in the fridge overnight helps the cream separate from the water.
2. Add to a food processor along with the avocados, bananas, maple syrup, lemon juice and mint leaves.
3. Blitz until smooth.
4. Add the chopped chocolate bits and stir in.
5. If you have an ice cream maker, place in the ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. 
6. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, fill a loaf tin with the mixture and cover with a layer of cling film over the top, touching the ice cream. This will prevent the avocado from going brown. If it does go a little brown, don’t worry, it’s just the top layer and can be scooped out to reveal green ice cream below.
7. Freeze for at least 4 hours – overnight.
8. Take out of the freezer at least 30 mins before serving, allowing it to soften a little.
9. Serve with crushed walnuts, a sprig of mint and some extra chocolate flakes.