(Paleo) 3-Ingredient Vanilla Ice-Cream with Ginger Pecan Crunch

When I was little, my mom and I used to make vanilla ice-cream with pecan brittle for special occasions.
I remember melting the sugar in the pot and watching the temperature on the candy thermometer climb as the melted sugar bubbled away.
I loved that ice-cream. I loved that ice cream very much purely because it was made at home and I also remember that it used to be very crystallized and I always ended up having a brain freeze after that. Ouch!
It was sweet, rich, with an awesome crunch. Perfection.

I still love the idea of this treat, so I’ve figured out a way of making it much healthier.
Starting by making a paleo vanilla ice-cream with coconut milk and maple syrup (in place of condensed milk and sugar), and using brown rice syrup in the pecan crunch.
It’s sweet, coconut-y with an extreme crunch, but much easier on your blood sugar levels and completely dairy-free.

The pecan crunch really makes this ice-cream special, but honestly it can be used to gussy up anything from a modest bowl of oatmeal to a fancy panna cotta.
Yes, it's still a treat, but a much healthier one for one's body.
So what are you waiting for? Go make some, now!

(Paleo) 3-Ingredient Vanilla Ice-Cream with Ginger Pecan Crunch                             Print this recipe!

Ingredients
Serves 8

Ice-Cream

2 cans (13-½ oz) full fat coconut milk (I used BPA-free Natural Value)
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pecan Crunch

⅓ cup brown rice syrup (I used Lundberg Sweet Dreams)
½ teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch fine grain salt
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped (you can use walnuts instead)

Directions

To make the pecan crunch, preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and place a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Heat rice syrup in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it’s runny. Whisk in ginger and salt. Add the pecans and stir to coat.
Spread the coated pecans out on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let cool completely, and then break into small pieces.
Place in the freezer.
For the ice-cream, heat coconut milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan over low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Take a taste and adjust sweetness, if needed.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool down completely.
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions 5 to 7 minutes or until partially frozen. Layer top of ice cream evenly with half of the pecan crunch. Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions, 10 to 15 more minutes or until mixture is frozen.
You can enjoy immediately as a soft serve drizzled with maple syrup, or freeze for a couple of hour before serving.
When frozen solid, allow the ice cream to thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 312 calories, 26 grams of fat, 21 grams of carbs, and 3 grams of protein.