Miso-Maple-Pecan Ice Cream (dairy free)
I feel like I could introduce a lot of my recipes by saying, “I know this flavor sounds strange, but trust me.” Miso brings a wonderfully malty, rich flavor to this ice cream. The maple syrup sweetens in a complementary way. The almond butter adds richness and nuttiness. Pecans take the whole thing over the top with crunch. In the end, the experience of Miso-Maple-Pecan Ice Cream falls somewhere between caramel ice cream and peanut butter ice cream, but more exciting and complex.
About the miso paste…
I’m no miso expert, but I know enough to guide you through what will work in this recipe.
I bought my miso at an Asian market and can’t read most of the writing on it, so I don’t know what type it is. But you can see the color from the picture and get a good idea. I’ve made this recipe with the miso you see in the picture, as well as a red miso, and both turned out great. Other miso ice cream recipes I’ve seen call for white miso. I think most any type would work, except perhaps the very darkest miso.
You probably won’t have to go to an Asian market to find your miso paste. Many grocery stores carry it now. My grocery store has 2 types, both of which would work well in this recipe (this and this).
If you want to learn more about miso paste, Epicurious has a good guide.
A few more ingredient notes
The almond butter is hardly noticeable in the final Miso-Maple-Pecan Ice Cream, but adds richness and complexity. Smooth and unsalted works best. If your almond butter is salted, you run the risk of your ice cream being too salty, since the miso is also very salty.
Maple syrup complements the malty miso perfectly, combining to create a toffee flavor. I bet brown sugar would also work, but I haven’t tested it.
For the pecans, either toast them or use candied pecans. I prefer toasting — I put them in the air fryer for 4 minutes at 350. But store-bought candied pecans would really enhance the toffee impression and be delicious too.
Protein powder options
I use protein power in my ice cream recipes because it helps maintain a good texture while reducing the sugar. (Read more about how that works here.) I call for collagen powder in this recipe, but you can use any unflavored, unsweetened protein power that you want. See the notes below the recipe for specific suggestions.
Blend, chill, churn, freeze, eat!
Miso-Maple-Pecan Ice Cream comes together in the quickest and easiest possible way. Just blend, chill, and churn.
If you like malty, toffee, caramel-like ice cream flavors, give these a try as well:
Miso-Maple-Pecan Ice Cream (dairy free)
Makes ~ 1 quart
Ingredients
For the ice cream base
For the pecan mix-in
Instructions
-
BLEND
Place all ingredients except pecans into a blender and blend until smooth.
-
CHILL
Transfer to a container and chill in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight.
For a quicker chilling time, place the bowl containing your mixture in an ice bath (a larger bowl containing ice water) for a few hours. Stir the mixture occasionally. As the water in the ice bath warms up, pour off some water and add ice to keep the mixture chilling as quickly as possible.
Ideally, the mixture will be about 40 degrees when you churn it.
-
CHURN
Before you start churning, set up everything you'll need to quickly transfer the ice cream from the machine into a container for freezing. I use a knife to scrape down the dasher (or paddle) and a wooden spoon to scoop out the ice cream.
Set up your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. Pour your mixture into the ice cream maker and churn. In my machine the perfect churning time is 13 minutes, but your experience may vary. Add the pecans in the last minute of churning.
The ice cream is ready when it has the consistency of soft serve and has started pulling away from the edge of the canister.
-
STORE
When the ice cream has finished churning, scoop it as quickly as possible into your storage container. Cover it with plastic wrap or parchment paper, if using. (Placing a sheet of parchment paper between the container and lid will help prevent frost, or you can press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream.) Put the container in the freezer. The ice cream will be fully firm in a few hours.
Note
You can use any unflavored, unsweetened protein powder you want. Whey, collagen, and egg white work the best. Vegan protein powders can work too, but sometimes create a chalky texture. Because different protein powders have different textures, a cup of different powders may weigh different amounts. Weighing is the best method for ensuring you get the 65 grams the recipe calls for, but here are some estimates for using a cup measurement:
- 65 g collagen powder = 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons
- 65 g whey protein = 1 cup
- 65 g egg white protein = 3/4 cup
- 65 g soy protein = 1 cup
Flavor variations:
- Miso-maple-bourbon-pecan -- Add 2 tablespoons of bourbon or whiskey to the ice cream base.
Recommended equipment: (may include affiliate links)
- My ice cream maker (2 qt)
- Newer version of my ice cream maker (2 qt)
- Well-reviewed less expensive ice cream maker (1.5 qt)
- Insulated ice cream container
- Heat-proof spatula
- Immersion/hand blender
- Standard blender
- Ice cream scoop
- Measuring cups
Recommended ingredients (may contain affiliate links):