Frozen Friday: Chocolate Coconut Graham Cracker

Have I told you lately how awesome my roommates are? If not, they are seriously awesome.

They are so strong. And handsome.

There, now you know.

One more awesome thing about the East Bay is our wonderful ice cream shops, specifically Ici and Tara's. They are constantly thinking up wonderful combinations and putting things in ice cream that no one else would dare to. That being said, i'm not sure why inventive ice cream hasn't taken off elsewhere... it's so good! I have enjoyed flavors from avocado-lime, to sweet potato, to green chili and they have all been nothing short of amazing.

Which brings me back to my wonderful roommates. I have been talking lately about how fun it would be to make our own ice cream, and how I was thinking of buying an ice cream maker. WELL, they listened (must be a first for the male population)... and got me the most perfect ice cream maker for my birthday!!! They are the best. Period. End of story. So what if they now expect me to make them ice cream all the freaking time... that is ok, I do it with a smile because I love them so.

So without further ado, I bring to you... Frozen Fridays! I will post a fun new ice cream recipe every Friday. I think it would be really fun if I could get some feedback on this... so if you have any quirky ice cream ideas, please comment with them!

We are going to kick off this series with some chocolate-coconut-graham cracker ice cream that was
seriously the bomb diggity. This ice cream was birthed via a texting conversation that went something like this:

me: Also, gonna make chocolate ice cream tonight
me: Game time decision: just put graham crackers in my cart for the ice cream
me: It's happening. Some coconut flakes may end up in it as well...
R: Omg. Best roommate ever!

I would describe to you the scene that took place when R and I first brought those chilled spoons to our mouths... but i'm not sure that is appropriate for the internets. Oh, I haven't mentioned this yet... but all of my ice cream will be 100% vegan and coconut milk based. And wow, this last batch was so unbelievably decadent... I really have no idea why anyone would want to make this laden with dairy and refined sugar. I used high quality cacao power and creamy coconut milk. And it was amazing, simply put.

Chocolate-Coconut-Graham Cracker Iced Cream

Adapted from The Nourishing Gourmet

Materials:

• 1 14 oz can coconut milk (full fat)
• 1/3 cup cacao power (I used the good stuff)
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup crushed graham crackers

Methods:

1. Combine the coconut milk, cacao power, and maple syrup in a blender and blend until mixed thoroughly.
2. Freeze according to ice cream maker's instructions.
• Mine calls for pouring the mixture into the already churning frozen barrel and churning for 20 minutes, when it will take on a soft serve consistency. 
• 15 minutes into freezing, add in the coconut flakes and the graham crackers. 
3. Let set in freezer for an additional hour or two to firm up.
4. Enjoy!
• Pleasurable noises are impossible to avoid, so just enjoy completely and let it happen.