Ingredients
1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water a few hours or overnight
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
3 tablespoons coconut oil
zest of 1 lemon (yellow part only)
juice of 1 lemon
water or unsweetened almond milk, for blending
3 cups ripe figs, stemmed and sliced in half (reserve a handful for garnishing)
Instructions
Put ice cream freezer bowl in the freezer at least one day before making the ice cream.
Drain cashews and add to blender along with coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and sea salt. Blend until smooth.
Add coconut oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice and blend to combine. Add a little water or almond milk if needed (up to 1/2 cup) to facilitate blending.
Add figs (reserving a handful for garnishing) and pulse until mixed in. It’s okay to have chunks of figs; does not have to be completely smooth.
Assemble ice cream maker, including frozen bowl and plastic mixing paddle, and plug in. Turn on machine and pour ice cream base into maker while it is running. Every now and then scrape the ice cream off the sides gently with a wooden spoon (without turning machine off). A few minutes into running the machine, add reserved figs (unless you’re going to serve the ice cream right away, then you can use them to top the ice cream instead). Keep the machine running until the ice cream is thick and frozen, then turn off machine, carefully remove mixing paddle, and transfer ice cream to plastic pint containers (I use gelato containers).
Serve immediately or store in the freezer. You’ll need to let the ice cream thaw for about 10-20 minutes (depending on the temperature of your kitchen) before scooping once it is frozen solid.
Notes
Instead of lemon juice and lemon zest, try drizzling in some melted chocolate chips while the ice cream maker is churning.
