Choc-topped vanilla and raspberry jelly icecreams

Tam West

This updated version of a classic from my childhood is made using only real wholefood ingredients, but delivers the same flavour and experience as a Jelly Tip icecream. It’s hard not to love this flavour combination and it’s extremely fun to eat. These frozen treats are extremely popular with my 2-year-old, so they don’t last long in our freezer.

There are three great recipes here for vanilla icecream, raspberry jelly and raw chocolate. Each recipe is extremely useful on its own, but they come together to make these incredibly delicious icecreams. The cashew icecream can be made in an icecream maker if you have one, but it’s not necessary, so anyone with a decent blender can whip this up — which is how I do it at home.

The recipe makes quite a few bars, so you could easily halve it. However, since it keeps for a long time in the freezer, I prefer to make bigger batches less often, so I always have a delicious dessert on hand for friends and family when they pop in. You will need to make the icecream layer first, allowing it to set for 6-8 hours before adding the raspberry layer.

For the vanilla cashew icecream

2 cups	Almond milk, or coconut milk
2 cups	Cashew nuts, soaked for 2 hours (Main)
¾ cup	Raw coconut nectar, use one that is light in flavour and colour
4 Tbsp	Coconut yoghurt, optional
2 Tbsp	Vanilla extract
1 tsp	Soy lecithin, non GMO, or use sunflower lecithin
8 Tbsp	Coconut oil, melted
½ tsp	Vanilla bean powder, or use the seeds of 1 vanilla bean

For the raspberry chia jelly

4 cups	Frozen raspberries, defrosted (Main)
¼ cup	Raw coconut nectar, or use 6 pitted medjool dates
6 Tbsp	Chia seeds
¼ cup	Freeze-dried raspberries, optional

For the dipping chocolate

½ cup	Cacao butter
1 cup	Coconut oil, cold-pressed
¼ cup	Sweetener, eg. coconut nectar or organic maple syrup
1 ⅓ cups	Cacao powder, raw
1 pinch	Sea salt
1 tsp	Vanilla extract

Directions

To make the icecream

1. Blend almond milk, cashews, light coconut nectar, coconut yogurt if using, and vanilla extract until smooth: there should be no texture to it. Add the lecithin and coconut oil and blend until smooth. Add the vanilla bean powder and mix with a spoon until incorporated.
2. Line a 20cm x 22cm container or dish with baking paper (if you have a silicon version you won't need to line it), pour in the icecream and place in the freezer to set for 6-8 hours.

To make the jelly

1. Place 1½ cups of the raspberries a blender with the coconut nectar or dates and blend until smooth.
2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl with the remaining ingredients and leave for 15-20 minutes until the chia starts to jell the mixture.
3. Once the jelly is ready, pour over the icecream layer and allow to freeze for 2-4 hours until firm.

To make the chocolate

1. Place cacao butter and coconut oil in a heat proof bowl set over another bowl, or a saucepan containing very hot water, and allow to melt. Be very careful not to let any water get into the top bowl.
2. Once melted, add sweetener and mix together gently, keeping the bowl over the hot water. Then add the cacao powder, salt and vanilla and mix again. Keep stirring gently until the mixture is well combined — at least 10 minutes. The temperature should stay at around 41C for a smooth, consistent chocolate that won't separate. You may need to add more hot water to your water bowl if it cools down.
3. The chocolate is ready when it is smooth and shiny. Don't hurry this process or the chocolate may be grainy. If your chocolate is too thin add a an extra tablespoon at a time of cacao powder until it thickens, if its too thick add a little extra coconut oil to thin it down.

To assemble

1. Take the icecream and jelly out of the freezer and cut into approximately 12, 10cm x 3.5cm bars (smaller 5cm x 3.5cm bars are also great for smaller desserts).
2. Line a tray with baking paper and, with a fork, dip your bars in the liquid chocolate and allow to drip until you see the chocolate starting to set. Place on the tray and repeat with each bar. Take a spoon filled with the chocolate and drizzle chocolate back and forward over the bars quickly, to create the effect shown.
3. Place in the freezer until set and store in an airtight container in the freezer for several months.
4. Any leftover chocolate can be stored in the fridge for future use.

Megan recommends

• Making your own almond or coconut milk is simple and will create a much creamier flavour than store-bought nut milk, which is often mostly water.
• You could buy your favourite dark chocolate and melt it down with a few tablespoons of coconut oil, to make it easy to eat when frozen.
• Use any liquid sweetener that you like, just make sure it has a light flavour and colour.
• If you are used to things being quite sweet, add a little more sweetener to taste in the icecream or jelly.
• You can omit the lecithin if you can't find any. It is a useful ingredient to have when making icecreams as it helps the fat and water molecules emulsify together.
• Read the instructions thoroughly before starting, these are all simple steps, but there is some timing that needs to be considered.