Even though there are tons of ice creams stocked on grocers shelves, few summertime activities are as satisfying as making a batch of homemade ice cream and eating it fresh out of the ice cream maker. This can be a challenge for some home cooks who prefer not to eat eggs and dairy, but still want the satisfaction of being able to make indulgent, refreshing summer treats at home. Enter The Vegan Scoop, a cookbook full of dairy and egg free ice cream recipes. It’s perfect for vegans, vegetarians, those with dietary restrictions and non-vegans looking for a little more variety in the kitchen.
The book has 150 recipes that run the gamut from classic – Vanilla, Chocolate, Rocky Road, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough – to crazy – Peanut Butter and Jelly, Chocolate Pretzel, Thai Chili, Wasabi – and everything sweet and fruity in between. They are all quite easy to make and use similar techniques that you’d find in other ice creams. The primary difference, of course, is that these recipes use a variety of non-dairy milks, including almond milk, coconut milk and soy milk. They also call for the use of soy creamer, which adds creaminess to the finished dishes. Most use bold flavors and are generous with them, so you won’t end up with an ice cream that “sort-of” tastes like the flavor the name promises.
Some of the selling points to those cooks who normally reach for “regular” ice creams include the fact that most of these recipes have about 1/3 fewer calories than their dairy-based cousins and also contain more “healthy” ingredients, such as flaxseed and lots of fresh fruit. The book actually has lots of little tips throughout that discuss the health aspects of some of the ingredients, as well as their origins. It also has a fairly comprehensive introduction that discusses many of the ingredients (including the various types of milk) used in the book and techniques for making ice creams in general, as well as a chapter at the end with recipes for accompaniments – vegan, of course – to the ice creams.
Tracey C. (SugarPunk)
June 15, 2009Did you notice whether most of the recipes called for the use of the soy creamer, or just the ones that used soy milk also? I’m really interested in finding a good source of recipes for non-dairy ice cream, but also can’t have soy – so I’m excited about recipes using almond milk, coconut milk, etc – but if they all call for soy creamer, it’s not going to be a good purchase for me.
Shannalee
June 15, 2009Tracey – I just tried my first recipes from Vegan Scoop last night, so it’s all fresh in my mind. 🙂 Most recipes do call for soy milk/creamer, but there’s a disclaimer in the beginning that says they encourage you to try different types of milk (like almond, rice, coconut) and experiment for even more interesting combos!
BigSis
June 15, 2009I’ve been thinking about buying a little ice cream maker, and wondered about making vegan ice cream so this is great timing. I can’t wait to check out this book.
Amber Shea (Almost Vegan)
June 28, 2009Thanks for reviewing this! I’d had my eye on it for awhile, I may have to go pick it up now :] No better time than summer…
Jogos de Carros
July 12, 2009THanks for review the book, Nicole!
I’ll buy a Ice Cream Maker, and this book will teach me how to do the famous Vegan Ice Cream!
anthony morrison
May 21, 2010The Vegan Icecream looks so Delicous!! Thanks Julie and Wheeler!I have a soymilk maker that will also make nut/other grain milks, so my cost should be fairly low.