Ani's Raw Food Essentials (70 page)

MAKES 2 CUPS

Start with this basic recipe, then add your favorite flavors to create endless flavor combinations.

If you don't have a high-speed blender, first grind nuts into a powder. Then, put into the blender, and blend with the remaining ingredients. This will help you achieve a smoother texture.

I've discovered a way to keep my ice kream scoopable straight out of the freezer. The water is in a delicate balance with the syrup, which doesn't freeze solid when frozen. If you're finding your ice kream too icy or hard, try decreasing the amount of water next time. And, if it's not freezing hard enough for you, add another tablespoon or two of water to find the exact balance for the consistency you love.

1 cup nuts, such as cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, or almonds
¼ cup agave syrup
4 to 6 tablespoons filtered water, as needed

Blend the nuts with the agave syrup, adding only enough water to make a thick cream. The less water you use, the less ice crystals will form in your final frozen recipe.

 

OPTIONS:
Add 1 tablespoon alcohol-free vanilla extract or the seeds from 1 vanilla bean pod for a traditional Vanilla Ice Kream flavor. Or, replace the water with fruit juice, such as orange. Or, lightly swirl in a syrup or sauce (pages 280 to 283) before freezing. The combination of flavors are endless!

MAKES 2 CUPS

Inspired by Mexican hot chocolate, which is a blend of chocolate with cinnamon mixed with an optional bit of the Mayan-influenced spice, cayenne.

1 recipe Basic Ice Kream (page 277)
¼ cup cacao powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon powder
1/8teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Blend together all the ingredients, including the cayenne, if desired. Transfer to a container, cover, and place in the freezer overnight.

MAKES 2 CUPS

 

An aromatic ice kream with the flavor of lavender. I prefer using lavender extract, for a smoother texture. But you can also use straight, pulverized flowers to avoid the alcohol in the extract.

1 recipe Basic Ice Kream (page 277)
1 tablespoon lavender extract, or 2 tablespoons pulverized culinary laven-
der buds (do not consume any lavender sold for potpourri)

Blend together all the ingredients. Transfer to a container, cover, and place in the freezer overnight.

 

SERVING SUGGESTION:
Serve with your favorite sauce.

MAKES 2 CUPS

 

A gelato-like ice cream popular in South America,
lúcuma
is a fruit with a flavor reminiscent of caramel. You don't need an ice-cream maker to enjoy this recipe. Just blend and freeze.

You can also make this ice kream without a high-speed blender by first grinding up your cashews into a powder, then blending with the remaining ingredients. This will help you achieve a smoother final product.

 

NOTE:
If you don't have yacón syrup, just replace it with agave syrup. You may want to add 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses, which is not raw but will richen the flavor.

 

Lúcuma powder is available at natural food stores and online, and in my e-store, at
www.aniphyo.com/store
.

1 recipe Basic Ice Kream (page 277), made with cashews and yacón syrup
instead of agave, if available. (See Note above.)
½ cup lúcuma powder
1 tablespoon alcohol-free vanilla extract (see Vanilla, page 262)
½ cup filtered water

Place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend slowly at first, increasing the speed gradually to get the smoothest consistency possible.

Transfer to a container and place in the freezer overnight. Enjoy straight from freezer with your favorite sauces and syrups (pages 280 to 283).