It's Ice Cream Time!

It's high summer and high time for ice cream! Trust me, here in Arizona where temperatures regularly soar over 110 degrees, ice cream is the staff of life.

But where can one find wonderful, creamy, satisfying ice cream that isn't packed with saturated fat, high fructose corn syrup, and a kabillion empty calories? Did I mention affordable? When it's 115 on our patio, I want to eat ice cream every evening as my reward and consolation for surviving one more blazing day. My solution: buy the biggest electric ice cream maker on the market, and concoct my own frozen delights.

The recipe presented here is made with chocolate soy milk. Dairy milk will work just as well, if your family can digest it. I cut the cost of coconut milk by blending unsweetened coconut with hot water - but purchased coconut milk works nicely, too. The basic formula just begs for endless variations, but I'll save those for later. For now, this chocolate "ice cream" is all I can think about.

Recipe: Chocolate "Ice Cream"

2 c. chocolate milk (soy or almond or dairy)
1 c. coconut milk (see note)
2 large eggs
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1/3 c. sugar (see note)
2 tsp. vanilla

Combine chocolate milk and coconut milk in a heavy saucepan. Over low heat, bring slowly to 160 degrees, stirring often.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, cocoa powder and sugar. Whisk very well. Slowly add 1 c. of the hot mixture to the egg mixture. Pour the egg mixture into the rest of the milk in the saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens and coats a spoon, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and pour mixture into a glass or plastic bowl set in a larger bowl of ice. Add vanilla. Chill at least 4 hours. Freeze in ice cream maker.

Notes: I make my own coconut milk by combining 1 cup unsweetened coconut with 1 cup hot water and blending for about 20 seconds. Let stand until cool, then strain or use directly in the ice cream with coconut included.
     The recipe on which I based this concoction used 3/4 cup sugar. I find that I enjoy less sweetness, but you should use enough sugar to suit your own taste.