Just in time for summer...Raspberry Fudge Swirl Ice Cream is one of the many ice cream ideas birthed from a newfound dairy-free ice cream obsession (as mentioned in my coffee cashew ice cream post).

I'm fond of this recipe because it begins with the basics. You don't have to make the raspberry fudge swirl if you don't have the ingredients on hand. Without the swirl, you're left with a basic dairy free vanilla bean frozen custard. It's still rich and creamy on its own. Or you could add in your own mix-ins. Totally up to you.

So I've tried to make the recipe as detailed as possible, since you can use the ice cream base for so much more than a raspberry fudge swirl.

Raspberry Fudge Swirl Ice Cream | DoYouEvenPaleo.net

But I definitely suggest you give the swirl a try. The raspberry fudge swirl that I came up with uses cashew butter, so it doesn't harden when the ice cream is cold. If there's one ice cream pet peeve I have, it's when the mix-ins freeze into huge, hard chunks that feel like they'll break your teeth. I mean, little pieces are fine, but I don't want to feel like I'm biting down on a hunk of glass. No thanks.

So when I came up with the swirl, I knew I couldn't use coconut oil or anything that solidifies when refrigerated as one of the main ingredients. The freeze-dried raspberry + nut butter combo worked amazingly. Lots of raspberry flavor without frozen raspberries. Hooray!

You'll notice that this recipe asks you to heat the coconut milk and temper egg yolks. I know, that's a lot of work for ice cream.

But we're talking about exceptional ice cream here. I'm not about that ice chip ice cream life. I want my ice cream to be creamy. And that requires tempering egg yolks.

Tempering eggs for the first time (essentially you're indirectly heating them so they don't curdle in heat) is daunting, but it's truly not bad. And I, for one, love learning new skills in the kitchen. It's another tool to add to my belt - it makes me more versatile.

Now I'll admit that this ice cream isn't as thick and creamy as the cashew-based amazingness that is my coffee cashew ice cream. But, just like I mentioned above, I wanted to learn how to make ice cream in a new way and add a new skill to my repertoire. That's also why the base is a very simple vanilla bean ice cream...it's basic, and can be used for a variety of recipes.

But the raspberry fudge swirl ice cream isn't half bad! If you want something beyond your average ice cream, this is it.

📖 Recipe

Raspberry Fudge Swirl Ice Cream

Author: Chelsea at Do You Even Paleo
Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Yield: 2 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: churned

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Description

Just in time for summer: a dairy free and gluten free raspberry fudge swirl ice cream. Oh, it's paleo and vegetarian, too!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

1 16 ounce can coconut milk
2 egg yolks
1 vanilla bean
¼ cup pure maple syrup

For the Raspberry Fudge Swirl

3 tablespoons cashew butter
1 teaspoon cacao powder
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon water
¼ cup freeze-dried raspberries, crushed, plus additional for garnish if desired

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Instructions

Add coconut milk to a medium pot. Slice the vanilla bean in half and add to pot. Heat the coconut milk over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until hot and steaming but not simmering. There shouldn't be any bubbles; if there are, reduce heat.
Separate the egg yolks into a heat-proof bowl and whisk.
Now it's time to temper the egg yolks. While stirring the egg yolks constantly, add a few spoonfuls of hot coconut milk. Continue to stir until smooth - there shouldn't be lumps of cooked egg. Now that the eggs are tempered, slowly add them to the pot, stirring constantly.
Heat on medium-low, again stirring constantly and never letting the mixture simmer until it thickens, about 6-8 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon and have the consistency of heavy cream.
Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Add honey and stir until completely combined. Let cool.
Remove the vanilla bean and scrape the inside with the back of a knife. Add the vanilla seeds back into the custard and discard the pod.
Chill the bowl in the fridge until cold (2+ hours). Meanwhile, prepare the raspberry fudge by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stirring until smooth.
Place the chilled custard in your ice cream maker and prepare according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pour the churned ice cream into a freezer-safe container. Using a butter knife, add the raspberry fudge and swirling around the ice cream. Add additional freeze-dried raspberries if desired (or save them for garnish).
Transfer the container, covered, to the freezer for at least two hours to firm up. When serving, defrost for at least 15 minutes before scooping. It will keep for a little over a week.