With the return of the warmer weather, it is the perfect opportunity to give this delicious ice cream recipe a shot. If you’re like Arnaud and I and love peanut butter, chocolate, and above all any combination of these two, then this recipe is for you! What could be best than eating peanut butter cups by the spoon, in a frozen version? The consistency of this ice cream is great, even without ice cream maker (I don’t have one yet but it’s on my list!). It is made with only a few ingredients and is easy to prepare. Really, the hardest part was waiting for the ice cream to freeze before eating it! Since it’s gluten free/vegan/dairy free, it will make the perfect dessert to have everyone over on summer nights!

***Update: I tried a lower-fat version by substituting a mixture of powdered peanut butter and water instead of regular peanut butter and it turned out great! The peanut-y taste is only slightly less strong and the ice cream is a little less soft than the original, probably because it has more water and less fat than the other version, but really we barely tasted the difference. If you don’t know this product already, powdered peanut butter is made of roasted peanuts that are pressed to remove most of the fat and oil. As a result you get a really fine powder, to which you add some water to get a mixture that has almost exactly the same texture and taste than peanut butter, only with 85-90% less fat. It is also packed with protein, gluten-free and vegan. It is great in smoothies, protein shakes, as a dip for fruit slices, or in this case, ice cream ;-)***

Makes about 3-4 cups ice cream

• 1 can (400ml) coconut milk (regular, not the lite version)
• ½ cup (120gr) peanut butter ***for the lower-fat version, instead of peanut butter, I used a mixture of 1 cup (about 90-100gr) of powdered peanut butter rehydrated with ½ cup (110-120ml) water***
• ½ cup (110-120ml) maple syrup
• 1 pinch of salt
• 3 tbsp almond meal/flour OR 1 tbsp almond meal + 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder for a more chocolaty version
• ¾ cup (120gr) mini chocolate chips, semi-sweet. Make sure they are dairy-free if necessary, or use a vegan-certified brand.

Pour all ingredients -except for the mini chocolate chips- in the blender, and pulse until smooth. Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container with a lid, or follow your ice cream maker instructions. Since I didn’t use a machine, I proceeded as follow: I placed the mixture in the freezer for about an hour, then I took the container out, used a spatula to scrape the inside of the container where some ice had set, and processed the mixture with a hand blender until smooth. I repeated this twice after that, waiting about 45′ – 1h between each time. When the ice cream starts to look like a thick, heavy cream, pour the mini chocolate chips in it, mix to spread them evenly, and place back in the freezer for another two hours or until firm. Bon appétit!