Banana Split Deluxe + N’Ice Cream News!

This post is also available in: Suomi (Finnish)

You guys probably know that I love ice cream (as I even made a book about them!) and I know that many of you have a passion for frozen treats as well. So I’ve got great news for all you ice cream lovers out there! Today is the day we’re publishing the e-book version of our Finnish N’Ice Cream Book and it has 10 NEW RECIPES! I know I’m thrilled and I hope you are too.

It’s been an exciting year after our book with Vanelja came out and since it’s pub date, the N’Ice Cream Book has been published in 6 countries, which to be honest, feels pretty unbelievable. So to celebrate all of this, the upcoming summer, and our love for ice creams, we wanted to make this e-book version a bit more luxurious and ended up adding some of our new favorite recipes. All the recipes are free from gluten, dairy and refined sugars, and by replacing honey with another sweetener, they’re vegan too. If homemade ice creams are a new thing for you, I strongly recommend hopping on board right now. After making and eating plant-based ice creams for a few years, I can tell you that these are the good stuff. And there are so many options to make! Chocolate-loaded creamy delights, quick banana ice creams that only require a blender, fruit pops, or even ice cream cakes are easy to prepare in the comfort of your own kitchen. And when you get yourself into the world of homemade ice cream, things really won’t be the same. Regular ice cream begins to taste pretty boring (okay not Italian gelato) and plant-based options will become more tempting. That’s at least what happened to me, and to my husband after trying out aaallll my creations. But we’re not complaining, as this world of plant-based ice creams is just so good. Enough of me babbling about my love for ice cream, let’s get to these treats I’ve got you!

There’s only one appropriate way to celebrate the launch of our e-book, and it’s with more ice cream (clever, right?). Enter, Banana Split Deluxe with homemade Date & Coconut Ice Cream, fresh berries, shaved chocolate, and almond flakes. YESSS. The ice cream is based on cashews and coconut milk and it’s great by itself, but I very, very much love it with all the toppings. And because two is better than one,  the other festive recipe is over at Vanelja and Virpi made a very divine Luxury Chocolate Nice Cream. I strongly recommend making both and enjoying life with a big bowl of ice cream. Just because we can.

And if you’re looking for more ice cream inspiration, go ahead and get yourself our e-book with over 90 delicious recipes. The new bonus recipes are available only in this e-book and currently it’s in Finnish only. (The English version of our book can be found here.) The e-book is only 8,90 euros and you can get it from our webshop HERE.

And lastly, a huge thank you for all of you out there who have bought our book (or written about it!). It’s been truly heartwarming to see so many people find joy in our recipes. Thank you from the bottom of my heart <3

Vegan Banana Split Deluxe

notes: you can make this with other ice cream flavors too and if you’re not up for waiting, I recommend this Instant Vanilla Ice Cream made with bananas. nuts, granola, fruits, and chocolate sauce would be great toppings too, so just pick the ones you like and go wild! :)

makes one huge or two smaller servings

1 banana
2-3 scoops Date & Coconut Ice Cream (recipe below)
fresh berries
shaved raw chocolate (or dark chocolate)
almond flakes

METHOD:

Slice the banana in half lengthwise and place on a plate. Scoop a few ice cream balls on top and decorate with berries, shaved chocolate, and almond flakes. Serve, and enjoy!

Date & Coconut Ice Cream

notes: I recommend using dried dates instead of fresh ones, as you want to have some structure in the fruit. I prefer the ice cream only moderately sweet, as the dates bring sweetness too. you can always add more sweetener if you think the ice cream mixture needs it. 

1 cup cashews
1 (400 ml / 14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
2-3 tbsp organic honey (or maple syrup to keep it vegan)
1 tsp vanilla powder
2/3 cup dried dates, chopped into small pieces
½ cup toasted coconut flakes

METHOD:

1. Place the cashews in a large bowl, add plenty of water and soak overnight or for at least 4-6 hours before making the ice cream.

2. Drain and rinse the cashews and add them to a blender. Add coconut milk, honey, and vanilla and blend until smooth. The mixture should be creamy and very smooth. Taste, and add sweetener if needed.

3. Pour the ice cream mixture into the ice cream maker and prepare the ice cream according tot the machine’s instructions. Just before the ice cream is done, add the chopped dates and toasted coconut. Serve the ice cream immediately or move the freezer-safe container and place in the freezer for a few hours. Let the ice cream thaw for about 15 minutes before serving.

Preparing the ice cream without an ice cream maker:
Pour the ice cream mixture into a freeze-safe container and freeze for about 3 hours, stirring thoroughly every 30 minutes. When the ice cream is firm enough, scoop into balls, serve and enjoy!

GET YOUR COPY HERE