How to Make the Perfect Nice Cream
There are two types of people, three actually or maybe four. Ugh never mind. Okay here's what I'm trying to say.
Never heard of nice-cream: It's an ice cream made out of plant-based ingredients usually frozen bananas. It's called "nice" because it's cruelty-free. No animal products, no animals suffering. So it's nice. Be nice and have a nice cream.
Heard of nice-cream but never made one: It's time to do it. It's easy, healthy, and deliciouuusss. I eat it almost every day for breakfast even though it's getting cold here. Nothing can stop those nice-cream cravings.
Made one and failed: You saw all those perfect looking, towering, mouth watering nice-creams on social media and wanted to make one, but it turned out watery or more like a smoothie and gave up. Read ahead. You can do it.
You're obsessed with nice-cream: If you want to try new combinations (even though you're happy with your) read ahead for extra tips and tricks. Also to get more ideas for toppings and flavors.
You can make a perfectly smooth, thick and creamy nice-cream without using a high-speed fancy blender. I don't deny that a Vitamix or such would make it better and easier to make, I'm just saying that it's possible to make a very nice nice-cream without one.
- Equipment:
- High-speed blender such as Vitamix (Best results)
- Food processor. Doesn't have to be a fancy one.
- Regular blender. Very hard, you'll have to manually mix the ingredients 1000 times. Achievable, though.
- Immersion Blender (hand blender) Again, achievable but lots of work.
- Pick a base and use lots of it:
- Bananas (3-6) very ripe (black spots and soft) peeled, sliced, and frozen
- Ripe avocado peeled, sliced and frozen (creamiest texture!)
- Coconut cream
- Young coconut meat
- Silken tofu; drained and squeeze the water out. Best used with other frozen fruits
- Flavor:
- Cacao powder 1-3 tsp more than that it'll be bitter
- Frozen fruits: berries, cherries, kiwi, persimmon, pears and apples (peeled)
- Dates
- Pumpkin
- Spices: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, dried black lemon, allspice.
- Fresh mint leaves
- Superfood: Açaí, spirulina, matcha, maca, moringa, spinach to name a few.
- Extracts: (pure) vanilla, peppermint, almond etc.
- Toppinggggsss: (endless options)
- Chocolate Rawnola: mix in for a fudge/cookies and cream effect
- Fruits & Nuts
- Nut and seed butter!!! Almond, peanut, cashew, sunflower, tahini, or walnut.
- Coconut sugar
- Puffed quinoa
- Cacao nibs
- Buckwheat groats
- Bliss balls crumbled up (favorite)
- Goji berries, golden berries, mulberries.
- Pomegranate seeds
- Hemp, chia, sunflower, flax, pumpkin seeds.
- Shredded coconut or coconut chips
- Serving:
- Bowl
- Parfait
- Cones
- With oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, chia pudding, or freekeh bowls
- Storing:
- Store in an airtight container in the freezer. Allow 10-20 minutes for it to thaw before using (run warm water on the container to speed up the process
- Store in the coolest place in the fridge for a few hours.
Steps and Tips!
Allow 5-10 minutes for your fruits to thaw (run warm water on the container to speed it up) and if there's a lot of ice then try to get rid of it otherwise your nice-cream will melt quickly and won't be creamy.
Start with a slow speed, only add milk or any kind of liquid if it's very necessary. Only add a splash at a time when you find it necessary.
When adding powders just add a tiny bit! Depending on the amount you're making and the powder it should range from 1/4 tsp- 2 tbsp. Add a little at a time and do a taste check before adding more. Same goes for sweeteners.
*Please don't add ice, just freeze your fruits.
*Please don't add protein powders and ruin the whole thing. Just drink it up by itself with water. My next post will be how to make a delicious protein nice-cream. So stay tuned? I feel like a cartoon saying that. But yeah wait for it. Ugh, now I feel like Barney from HIMYM.