Burnt honey ice cream seems to always be present at these cool, artisanal ice cream shops. But they’re never dairy-free. Instead, I watch friends devour this mysterious flavor and use adjectives like complex, bold, and sharp to describe the flavor. Seriously, are we at a wine competition? I have no idea what those adjectives mean!
So, that’s when my ambitious self decided to make a dairy-free version! When I realized neither I nor my friends owned an ice cream machine, I decided to make this task more challenging by making it a dairy free and no churn ice cream.
I probably made about eight different variations of this no churn ice cream recipe until I was finally happy with the texture and taste. In the beginning, I would use homemade cashew milk with coconut milk but realized that any liquid makes the texture icy. Also, I tried adding toasted pecans or pistachios for an extra crunch but ultimately settled on toasted graham crackers.
The most important advice in making any no churn ice cream is to make sure to buy good quality coconut milk in a can. Make sure to give the can a good shake. If the can is filled with all liquid, put it back on the shelf and grab another can. Ideally, the coconut milk can should feel solid when shaken. I’ve only tried using Trader Joe’s coconut milk and Whole Food’s 365 coconut milk and I highly recommend the latter. In my experience, the Trader Joe’s coconut milk had less coconut solids and it was barely whippable.
There are a few prep involved in making this no churn ice cream but they are all super simple and will be worth it in the end!! The subtle burnt taste of honey with the crunchy, honey-spiced graham crackers will make you feel like you’re at one of those cool artisanal ice cream shops!
Side note: I know there is a lot of debate whether honey is acceptable by vegans. Therefore, I only purchase honey that is locally and ethically sourced from the farmer’s market. I recommend you do the same!
quick notes
- When scooping the coconut milk solids, try your best to not transfer any of the coconut water into the bowl as it can affect the texture of the ice cream.
- Honey is a great ingredient in homemade ice cream as it does not freeze.
- Do not skip baking the graham crackers or else it will become soggy when incorporating it into the ice cream mixture
NO CHURN ICE CREAM WITH BURNT HONEY (NON-DAIRY)
Burnt Honey
- 1 coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
- ⅓ cup (112g) honey
Scoop out solids from the coconut milk and set aside coconut water for other purposes.
Add honey in a pot over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until the honey becomes bubbly, fragrant and darker in color. Turn heat to a simmer and whisk in coconut solids until fully incorporated. Transfer burnt honey mixture into a container and refrigerate.
Ice Cream base
- 2 coconut milks, refrigerated overnight
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt
Before making the base, I recommend placing your bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes. The colder the bowl, the better the coconut milk will whip.
In the cold bowl, scoop out solids from the coconut milks and whisk with a hand mixer until light tracks begin to form. Add in vanilla and salt and whisk for 1 minute until visible tracks begin to form. Slowly add in burnt honey mixture 1-2 tbsp at a time, making sure the mixture is fully incorporated before adding more.
Cover the bowl and let it sit in the freezer while you make the graham cracker crumble.
Graham Cracker Crumble
- 4 sheets of graham cracker
- 2 tsp honey
- 3 tbsp oil
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a bowl, mix honey and oil together. Roughly crush the graham crackers into little pea size pieces. Drizzle the honey and oil mixture onto the graham crackers and fully mix. Transfer onto a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes. Let it cool to harden for 8-10 minutes.
Line a baking tin with parchment paper and set aside.
Take the ice cream base out of the freezer and whisk with a hand mixer for another minute. Carefully fold the graham cracker bits into the ice cream base and transfer to the parchment lined baking tin. Cover with plastic wrap and let it freeze for at least 4 hours.
Leave the ice cream out for at least 10 minutes to melt before serving.
p.s. If you like this recipe, click the icons below to share and leave a comment below! Make sure to tag me @girlmeetsradish & #girlmeetsradish so I can see what you are making!
