I had leftover coconut milk from the coconut chickpea curry I made the other day that I didn't want to go to waste. I also have a lot of pineapple in the house that I'm trying to use up, and delicious as it is, you can only eat so much. So, I tried to make a creamsicle type of thing. I got impatient about an hour in and just ate one of them as ice cream. I waited a couple hours longer before trying another. And this is when I kinda realized that maybe it's a bit more suited as an ice cream recipe than one that requires a popsicle mould - all my popsicle sticks were far too easily pulled out, leaving the actual coconut pineapple yummyness in the mould! Of course, this could be due to the short stick nature of the mould I have...Quite nice and creamy all the same. Could be nice with a bit of agave mixed in for more sweetness; though I found it nicely naturally sweet.
This photo is of the premature taste test. When it freezes more, it's not all melty; but, this is the texture it resumes when it starts to thaw a bit.
to make
1.5 frozen bananas
3/4c all purpose cashew cream
1/2 can coconut milk, chilled
1c chopped pineapple
I would recommend slicing the bananas before you freeze them, and then freezing on a cookie sheet before putting them all together in a container. This will make any recipe requiring frozen bananas much more convenient. Personally I'm lazy, so I just break them in half and toss them all together into a container and then curse myself everytime I need to use them. Still works out nicely, but the whole blending process is always easier if there are little pieces, rather than giant bananas in there. At a couple of points in making this recipe I had to stop processing, open up the food processor and stab at the big banana pieces to try and break them up more. But hey, worked out nicely in the end so woohoo to the universe positivey reinforcing my laziness!
Anyway, toss everything but the pineapple in a food processor. Blend until smooth and no chunks are left. Throw in the pineapple and either mix by hand or do quick and short puses on the food processor to mix (not pulverize). Spoon into the popsicle moulds, or a loaf pan, or a silicone muffin pan (!) or any other container. Freeze (awesomely this doesn't need an ice cream maker to keep it creamy). Enjoy!
note: I haven't yet let it freeze for an extended period of time (like over the course of a couple of days), so am not yet sure if the texture would change in that time period. If mine last that long (they're really yummy, and I've already eaten two of the six so...), I'll let you know how it goes!
all purpose cashew cream
1c cashews, soaked over night, rinsed well
lemon juice (optional)
water, as needed
In a blender, blend the cashews with water to get the consistency you desire. This consistency depends on what you would like to make with it. You can get a thin cream, for soups or dessert/fruit toppings or cesar salad dressing, or a thicker cream - also for dessert/fruit toppings, but thicker ones, or for sour cream for tortillas...possibilities are limitless. I used a thick cream for the above recipe, particularly due to the liquid from the coconut milk, and because it was leftover sour cream from the night before. Use lemon juice to taste - since it was sour cream, I wanted it sour so used like 2 tbsp lemon juice, but you might want less, particularly if it's dessert topping cream. You can also add spices, like cinnamon, cardammon and nutmeg, when using it for desserts or fruits.
update!! I let it freeze longer, and they came out as popsicles!! and were stil creamy!!! very happy about this! Will do an overnight freeze as well to see the longterm effects of the freeze!
update!! three ways to enjoy coconut pineapple ice cream/creamsicles:
- as an ice pop: let the creamsicle freeze for a long period of time, it'll become a yummy popsicle. Pieces are bitten off easily and are light and creamy when chewed.
- as yummy ice cream: or, for the more patient, you can let the ice cream thaw for a while before enjoying. As it gets a bit melty, the creaminess of the coconut milk and cashew cream really comes out.
- as a refreshing smoothie: Put frozen into a blender, adding nut milk as needed to create a creamy, delicious treat for hot summer days.
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