This is a low-carb version of the original recipe, here.
Notes on ingredients:
Milk: The recipe calls for 2 cans of coconut milk (full fat, unsweetened), but you can choose your milk based on dietary preferences. You can use anything from cream to dairy milk to almond milk. I’ve had success with 1 can of coconut milk and the same amount of almond milk. If you go with 100% low-fat milk (such as almond milk or skim milk) you’ll have an icier result.
Espresso powder: I designed this coffee ice cream to taste how I like my coffee: strong and not too sweet. Because espresso powder provides the majority of the flavor, it’s important to use a good one. Here I’ve used my favorite, Medaglia D’Oro. I’ve also had good luck with Anthony’s. Cafe Bustelo is amazing and offers a decaf version.
Collagen: My standard practice is to include some sort of protein powder. It helps the texture and improves the nutrition profile. You can use any protein powder you like, or skip it completely. More advice is below in the notes.
Allulose: This is a wonderful sugar replacement with very few calories and basically no carbs. More about it here.
Low-Carb Coffee Ice Cream (dairy free)
Makes ~1 quart
Ingredients
Instructions
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BLEND
Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend, using a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times as needed. Make sure you blend until the sugar has dissolved.
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CHILL
Pour the base mixture into a container and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours or preferably 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.
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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. When you are ready to churn, ideally your base will be about 40 degrees.
Set up your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. Pour your mixture into the ice cream maker and churn. Because this mixture is thicker than many ice cream bases, it churns more quickly than most. In my machine the perfect churning time is 22 minutes, but your experience may vary.
The ice cream is finished churning when it looks like the consistency of soft serve and has started pulling away from the sides of the canister.
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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, 1/2 cup of different powders may weigh different amounts. Weighing is the best method for ensuring you get the 50 grams the recipe calls for, but here are some estimates for using a cup measurement:
- 50 g collagen powder = 1/2 cup
- 50 g whey protein = 3/4 cup
- 50 g egg white protein = 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons
- 50 g soy protein = 3/4 cup
- 50 g pea protein = 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons
- 50 g coconut milk powder = 1/2 cup
Optional additions:
- 1-2 tablespoons of alcohol -- Adding alcohol improves the texture and scoopability of the final product and gives a little kick of extra flavor. Rum, whiskey, kahlua, and Irish cream would all be good choices.