Rocky Road Ice Cream (dairy free)
Rocky road was one of my favorite ice cream flavors as a child (next to mint chocolate chip). It’s basically candy, in ice cream form. This version stays true to the “candy” vibe, with chocolate bits, lots of marshmallows, and a thick swirl of marshmallow crème, but (in my opinion) improves on it. By lowering the sugar in the chocolate ice cream, we avoid the tooth-achingly sweet effect of sweet ice cream combined with marshmallow. Toasting the almonds adds complexity to the flavors. Plus, the whole thing is dairy free and higher protein.
About the assembly…
When I make ice cream with a mix-in, I usually just toss the bits into the ice cream maker during the last minute or so of churning. This is the easiest way to do it. However, the mix-ins for rocky road ice cream are too many and too big. The machine doesn’t handle it well (at least mine doesn’t). We need a slightly more complex strategy.
First, the chocolate bits: we need the ice cream maker to help create the big flakes of melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. We get these by drizzling melted chocolate mixed with a little oil into the machine as it’s churning. (Details in the recipe below.) The drizzle of melted chocolate freezes, breaks apart, and gets distributed throughout.
When the ice cream is finished churning, we have to mix in the almonds, marshmallows, and marshmallow crème ourselves. It works best to layer the bits, then swirl them around. The recipe below has details, but here’s a preview of the steps:
A note on dietary issues…
I’ve used protein powder (collagen in this case) to increase the protein and reduce the sugar, without sacrificing texture. For more details on how that works, click here. The recipe notes below have suggestions for other protein powders you can use.
If you’re adjusting the recipe for various dietary concerns, remember that most marshmallows contain gelatin, and most marshmallow crème contains egg white. However, you have options! Trader Joe’s sells vegan marshmallows, or you can purchase them online here [affiliate link]. (I haven’t tried them yet.) The internet has many recipes for how to make vegan marshmallow crème (or fluff). Also, Smuckers Marshmallow Topping [affiliate link] is vegan. I’ve read that it’s more pourable than marshmallow crème, so it might actually work better for creating the swirl in rocky road ice cream. I will try it next time.
Rocky Road Ice Cream (dairy free)
Makes ~1 quart
Ingredients
For the ice cream base
For the mix-ins
Instructions
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PREP THE CHOCOLATE FOR THE BASE
Chop the unsweetened chocolate into small pieces so that it will melt easily.
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HEAT THE COCONUT MILK TO MELT THE CHOCOLATE
In a large sauce pan on the stove over medium heat, whisk together 1 can of coconut milk, sugar, and salt. As soon as you start to see the mixture bubbling, turn off the heat. Then add the chocolate, whisking as it melts.
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ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS AND BLEND
Once the chocolate has melted and been incorporated, add the remaining ingredients for the ice cream base (the 2nd can of coconut milk, agave syrup, collagen, cocoa powder, and xanthan gum), whisking them together. Blend with an immersion blender or transfer to a standard blender and blend thoroughly, scraping down the sides with a spatula, until everything is smooth. This might take a couple of minutes!
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CHILL
Transfer to a container and chill in the refrigerator 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.
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PREP THE MIX-INS
- Measure out the marshmallows.
- Measure out and toast the slivered almonds.
- Scoop the marshmallow crème into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwaving it for just 5 seconds before layering it into the finished ice cream will help it loosen up and swirl better.
- Measure out the chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate) and oil into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds on half power, stir, then microwave again for 30 seconds on half power, and stir again. This will be drizzled into the ice cream maker as it churns to create chocolate flakes.
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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. Choose a large container or multiple containers to allow space for swirling in the mix-ins in the next step. Get your mix-ins ready.
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 23 minutes, but your experience may vary.
In the final minute of churning, drizzle the melted chocolate/oil mixture into the ice cream maker slowly. The stream of chocolate will freeze and break up, creating melt-in-your-mouth flakes of chocolate throughout the ice cream.
It's finished churning when it looks like soft-serve and is pulling away from the sides of the canister.
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LAYER IN THE MIX-INS AND STORE
Scoop about 1/3 of the ice cream into the bottom of your container. Sprinkle about 1/2 of the almonds and 1/2 of the marshmallows on top. Scoop another 1/3 of the ice cream on top of the almonds and marshmallows. Then drop small blobs of the marshmallow crème on the surface of the ice cream, roughly evenly spaced (use all of the marshmallow crème in this step). Use a knife or spoon to swirl the blobs into the ice cream, breaking them up and mixing them with the layers underneath. Top with the rest of the almonds and marshmallows, and finally with the remaining ice cream. Give everything one more swirl, pressing the mix-ins into the ice cream if necessary, so they aren't sitting on top. (See the pictures above.)
Put the container(s) in the freezer. The ice cream will be fully firm in a few hours.
Note
Protein powder substitutions:
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, the same volume 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
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, or vodka would be good choices here.
Recommended equipment (may contain 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
- Ice cream scoop
Recommended ingredients (may contain affiliate links):