We were celebrating a coworker’s birthday with ice cream and beer when the idea for this recipe popped into my head. I looked around; everybody was smiling as they nibbled through snicker’s ice cream bars, when I realized how long it has been since I made a melt in your mouth, lip smacking, delicious recipe for you to salivate over.
When I started blogging, I was notorious for making cupcakes. My friends would come up with random ingredient ideas; I would whip them up into delicious treats. With time, I grew tired of cupcakes, and became more interested in the idea of making healthier versions of delicious food. The more I read, the more I became convinced that you can have cake, and eat it too!
This recipe exemplifies this principle. Sure, it is a healthier version of ice cream, but who cares, when it is so delicious? The caramel is made with dates, lemon, tahini, and scotch, for a decadent combination of flavors that will take ice cream to a higher level. Peanuts and pine nuts add crunch, and a bit of bitterness to balance everything out. Each bite is an unexpected combination of flavors! It is an adult version of snickers you can feel good about eating. 
Roasted Peanuts and Salted Caramel Ice Cream
- Total Time: 6 hours 30 mins
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Description
Smoky, salted caramel, cocoa nibs and roasted peanuts swirled into a velvety smooth vanilla ice cream. Sounds delicious? It is amazing.
Ingredients
For the caramel
- 12-15 pitted mejdool dates, soaked in 1/2 cup (120 ml) coconut milk
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) tahini, almond butter could work too
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) raw honey
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) scotch
- Pinch of sea salt
For the ice cream
- 2 cans coconut milk
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) palm sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) cacao nibs
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) roasted peanuts, chopped
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) pine nuts, chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) salted scotch caramel
Instructions
For the caramel
- Start by soaking pitted dates in coconut milk for four hours. Yes, four hours. Pour contents into a blender. Pulse for several seconds, and then add the rest of the ingredients. Blend at high speed until smooth. You might need to add more coconut milk or water if caramel starts to stick. Remove from blender and set aside, in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
For the ice cream
- In a large pot, bring coconut milk and sugar to a light simmer. Reduce heat to low, and stir until all sugar has melted. Add vanilla extract and stir. This should take more than a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a container. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours. I left mine overnight, but it could take as little as a couple hours for it to reach a cold enough temperature.
- Pour sweetened coconut milk into an ice cream maker. Follow manufacturers instructions. Once ice cream is ready, pour in caramel, roasted peanuts, pine nuts, and cacao nibs. Stir for a couple more minutes and transfer to a freezer safe container. Place in freezer for three to four hours before serving. Devour!
- Prep Time: 6 hours
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do the dates need to soak for four full hours?
Soaking the pitted Medjool dates in 1/2 cup of coconut milk for four hours softens them completely so they blend into a silky, pourable caramel. Rush it and you get a chunky, gritty paste instead of something smooth enough to swirl through ice cream.
What makes the caramel in this ice cream different from a regular caramel?
There is no refined sugar and no cream. Instead it is built from Medjool dates, coconut milk, tahini, raw honey, lemon juice, scotch, and a pinch of sea salt — all blended together. The scotch and tahini give it a smoky, slightly bitter depth that a standard caramel does not have.
Do I need an ice cream maker?
Yes. Pour the chilled sweetened coconut milk base into your ice cream maker and churn it following the manufacturer’s instructions. Once done, stir in the caramel, 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, 1/4 cup pine nuts, and 1/4 cup cacao nibs, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 3 to 4 hours before serving.
How far in advance should I start the coconut milk base?
The sweetened coconut milk needs to refrigerate until cold enough to churn — I left mine overnight, though a couple of hours can work. Add the 4-hour date soak on top of that, and this is realistically a project you start the day before you want to serve it.
