Cavemen – except for the Flintstones – didn’t eat ice cream, but ice cream is a treat that most of us enjoy in the summer, even modern cavemen and cavewomen who follow the paleo diet. Paleo Ice Cream: 75 Recipes for Rich and Creamy Homemade Scoops and Treats is a cookbook full of paleo-oriented recipes for delicious homemade treats that will let you stock your very modern freezer with goodies that will get you through a hot weekend. The book definitely doesn’t deliver recipes that cavemen would have eaten, but since it sticks to the guidelines of “paleo” eating very loosely, it is actually a good source of mostly dairy free, naturally sweetened ice cream recipes that are flavorful and easy to make.
The book is divided into several chapters based on flavors, from classic ice cream staples to adventurous flavors, such as olive oil ice cream and black peppercorn ice cream. There are chapters dedicated to sorbets, frozen custards and vegan ice creams, and you’ll even find recipes for homemade toppings and ice cream cones towards the end of the book that will let you serve your ice cream in style. The book begins with an introduction to the methodology behind the recipes. The author discusses techniques and ingredients, and is very upfront about the types of substitutions that you can make in these recipes to ensure that they conform to your dietary restrictions – caveman-oriented, or otherwise. Most of the recipes use coconut milk and almond milk as a base, though there are a handful that use bananas and cashew butter as a base, as well.
The recipes are clearly written and easy to follow, and while you will get the best results from using an ice cream maker, it is also possible to make these without one. The author provides many suggestions for mix-ins and substitutions, as well as including useful tips for storing your ice cream and keeping it from getting too icy in the freezer.
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