Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

In-Season Summer Recipes Dessert

This recipe relies on vegan cream cheese, which swirls throughout the ice cream, along with graham cracker crumbs and strawberries that have been gently simmered to intensify their natural sweetness. This pretty pink ice tastes like a rich slice of strawberry cheesecake. If you’d prefer to use dairy cream cheese, omit the arrowroot starch, which does not react well with dairy products.

By Christine Chitnis | June 13, 2016

Ingredients

2/3 cups full fat coconut milk (from one 13.5 ounce can), divided
1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
2 cups hulled and chopped strawberries
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup vegan cream cheese, softened
1 cup Cashew Cream (page 27)
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs, homemade (page 157) or store-bought

Instructions

Pour 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk into a small bowl, add the arrowroot starch, and whisk until dissolved.

In a medium saucepan, combine the strawberries, coconut oil, salt, and maple syrup. Place over medium heat, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring gently, until the strawberries begin breaking down and releasing their juices, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and mix in the arrowroot slurry and the remaining coconut milk.

In a blender, combine the strawberry mixture, vegan cream cheese, and cashew cream and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl, cover, and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours to chill thoroughly.

Add the graham cracker crumbs to the ice cream base and freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. You can eat the ice cream right away for a softer version, or freeze it for about 2 hours for a firmer consistency.

Makes 1 pint

About this recipe

From Icy, Creamy, Healthy, Sweet by Christine Chitnis, © 2016 by Christine Chitnis. Reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc. Boulder, CO. www.roostbooks.com