July is National Ice Cream month and to celebrate I made a spicy coconut ginger ice cream. Actually, I’ve been celebrating national ice cream month since May when the temperatures started to rise here in the Northeast but who is counting? This ice cream has fresh pieces of ginger to give it a nice bite and creamy coconut milk to make it all go down smoothly!
Ginger has many benefits, from treating inflammation to helping tame nausea. I always recommend fresh ginger to expecting moms because it’s a natural way to ease morning sickness and has worked wonders for me when I’ve had an upset stomach. Substituting the milk for Coconut milk is also great if you’re looking for ice cream with less dairy. I used light whipping cream in this recipe instead of heavy cream and substituted the regular whole milk with the coconut milk. Coconut also has the good saturated fat and has been known to aid in weight loss, especially when consuming coconut oil as part of your diet. It’s gluten free as well for those watching their gluten intake. I’ve been reading about its benefit for years but as always, do your own research, I’m no expert here but do know what works for me.
So get out that dusty ice cream maker and surprise your friends and family with a sweet and spicy treat! It’s pure and natural and perfect summer dessert for these hot, humid days!! Get creative if you like and add shredded coconut, crushed nuts or fresh fruits…you could always blend them in after you make the ice cream. This recipe will yield a pint, if you want to make a quart, just double up the recipe.
Recipe adapted from the Big Chill ice cream maker, which I’ve had forever, and yes, it was dusty. 🙂 Here’s another coconut milk treat you can try, my Spicy Mango mini ice pops.
Coconut Ginger Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 3/4 cup light whipping cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 inch piece of ginger chopped finely
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar until light then add the coconut milk, cream, ginger and vanilla. Continue whisking until well blended.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Pour mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the directions according to your manufacterers instructions.
- Once ice cream is made, add the ice cream to a container and freeze.
- Scoop into a bowl and enjoy on its own or mix in shredded coconut or chopped raw almonds for a nice crunch.
