The only thing worse than suffering through a sweltering hot summer day without air conditioning is trying to survive those same conditions without any ice cream in the house. It’s entirely possible that one can make do without such convenient modern amenities that would help abate the heat, but only if generous amounts of frozen, creamy treats are kept close at hand. Ice cream makes even chilly days more bearable, so going without a single tub of the cool confection is tantamount to criminal insanity. For those with limited equipment and limited patience, there have been few solutions to this conundrum outside of an impromptu grocery trip. Thankfully, non-dairy alternatives are no longer the anomaly in mainstream markets, although homemade ice cream will still beat out anything prepackaged any day of the week.

This recipe today goes out to all those ice cream fiends without ice cream machines. Plenty of low-tech methods exist for fabricating frozen treats without fancy machinery, but let’s be honest: Few people, myself included, care to fuss with scraping ice crystals or tossing around a plastic bag of ice cubes all day, just for a few bites of sweet satisfaction.

Your icy irritation ends here. All you need is a freezer, four ingredients, and an appetite. I would wager that you’ve already got two out of three already covered.

The ingenious CocoWhip by So Delicious is the secret ingredient that makes this sweet act of alchemy possible. Providing light, scoopable structure without any further agitation, the same results can also be achieved with good old whipped coconut cream, but starting with a ready-whipped and exceptionally stable base makes the process infinitely easier.

As luck would have it, So Delicious recently launched their Snackable Recipe Contest, so it would have been crazy for me to hold onto this treat any longer. Besides, as much as I love cooking, summer is meant to be enjoyed, not spent in the kitchen. Whip up this effortless ice cream base and go play; you’ll have a delicious dessert waiting for you when you return.

No-Churn Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

2/3 Cup Vanilla Coconut Creamer
1/3 Cup Light Agave Nectar
1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract
1 9-Ounce Package Cocowhip

In a large bowl, stir together the creamer, agave, and vanilla. Add in one small scoop of the Cocowhip, stirring to incorporate and begin to lighten the mixture. Introduce half of the remaining Cocowhip, folding it carefully into the liquid, keeping the airy structure as intact as possible. Repeat with the last portion of Cocowhip, leaving a few streaks in the mixture if need be; it’s better to under-mix than over-mix.

Pour the ice cream base into a loaf pan or air-tight container and carefully move it into your freezer. Allow it to sit, undisturbed, for at least 6 hours before serving.

Printable Recipe

Second chances and fresh starts are so rare in our goal-oriented, no-stops world, so the message of Rosh Hashanah is even more valuable to me than many Jewish holidays. Often described as the Jewish New Year, it’s a time to celebrate, looking back on the successes of the previous twelve months, but also looking forward to the next, hoping for the best. That’s why it’s traditional to load up on the sweet things in life- or at least, in the kitchen- to ensure a sweet year ahead. Apples and honey are of course the best place to start, albeit with an easy substitution for the honey. For the first time since being vegan, I’m so excited to finally bring a substitute that really tastes just like bee-derived nectar, but truly, any syrup or dessert dip will carry the same sweet message.

Not one to stick with the easy answer for long, it was only a matter of time before my mind started spinning, concocting some exciting new dessert. Though I may not be prepared to embrace fall just yet, the smell of those apples and spices cooking over the stove nearly convinced me to make an early break from summer. Nearly. But the truth of the matter is, while the humidity has mercifully died down for the time being, it is still quite hot, outside and in. Instead of going the whole nine yards with a heavy, rich apple baked good, it made more sense to keep things light and refreshing, in the form of a semifreddo.

Dressed to impress, with a quick drizzle of “honey” and a handful of candied almonds, this stunning dessert is almost shockingly simple. Yes, I did take a little shortcut with a whippable vegan creme to save time, but you can also substitute whipped coconut creme with no trouble at all. Merging these traditional flavors in an unconventional final course just seemed like the perfect compromise, like the two seasons meeting in harmony for once.

And did I mention? It’s easier than pie to just pour the liquid semifreddo mix into individual molds, and make show-stopping plated desserts instead!

If you ask me, there’s no reason not to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, even if you’re not Jewish. We could all use a little bit more sweetness in our lives, after all.

Yield: Makes 10 - 12 Servings

Apples and Honey Semifreddo

Name: Apples and Honey Semifreddo
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 9 h
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Jewish
Ingredients: 1 Pound Apples (About Large 2 Fuji), Peeled, Cored, and Roughly Chopped; 2 Tablespoons Finely Diced Candied Ginger; 1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice; 2 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed; 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon; Pinch Salt; 1 (14 – 16-Ounce) Carton Vegan Whipping Cream; 1 Cup Raw Cashews, Soaked; 3/4 Cup Vegan Vanilla Yogurt; 1/2 Cup Honey-Flavored Agave or Amber Agave; 1 Tablespoon Limoncello, Apple Brandy, or Vodka; 1/2 Vanilla Bean, Split and Scraped, or 1 Teaspoon Extract; Additional Honey-Flavored Agave; Caramelized or Toasted Almonds, Roughly Chopped

Keep things light and refreshing with a semifreddo, which is essentially a sliceable loaf of no-churn ice cream. Dotted with tender spiced apples and drizzled with vegan honey, it's a real showstopper that only looks complicated to make.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 8 hours

Total Time 9 hours

Ingredients

Apple-Ginger Compote:

1 Pound Apples (About Large 2 Fuji), Peeled, Cored, and Roughly Chopped
2 Tablespoons Finely Diced Candied Ginger
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Pinch Salt

Semifreddo Base:

1 (14 – 16-Ounce) Carton Vegan Whipping Cream
1 Cup Raw Cashews, Soaked
3/4 Cup Vegan Vanilla Yogurt
1/2 Cup Honey-Flavored Agave or Amber Agave
1 Tablespoon Limoncello, Apple Brandy, or Vodka
1/2 Vanilla Bean, Split and Scraped, or 1 Teaspoon Extract

To Serve:

Additional Honey-Flavored Agave
Caramelized or Toasted Almonds, Roughly Chopped

Instructions

In a medium skillet, toss all of your ingredients for the apple compote together, and cook over medium-low heat for 20 – 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and there’s no excess liquid remaining at the bottom of the pan. The delicious autumnal smell will be an indication that you’re doing something right! Just try not to eat all of the apples before you get them into the semifreddo.
Let cool completely before proceeding.
To make the base, begin by whipping up your carton of creme as the box instructs, and set aside. Place your nuts and yogurt in a blender or food processor, and puree on the highest setting. A high-speed blender is recommended here for optimal smoothness, but you can certainly still do without. Just be patient, as it may take up to 10 minutes for the average food processor or blender to completely puree the cashews. Once completely smooth, add in the agave, liqueur of choice, and vanilla bean seeds. Blend to combine.
Add about 1/3rd of the cashew mixture to your whipped creme, and with a wide spatula, very gently fold the two together, being careful not to knock too much air out of the creme. Don’t fuss too much about streaks yet; Once it’s mostly combined, add another 1/3rd of the cashew mix, and fold again. Repeat with the remainder, stirring until the mixture is all one even color. Very gently fold in the cooked and cooled apple compote.
Pour the semifreddo base into either a 9 x 5 loaf pan lined with plastic wrap or a silicon loaf pan. For individual servings, I like to use jumbo silicon muffin molds. Smooth down the top with a spatula, and place on a level surface in your freeze. Let sit until frozen solid, at least 8 hours or overnight. You can also make this dessert well in advance- Up to a week, in fact! Just make sure you keep it well wrapped and covered so that it doesn’t start taking on off-flavors in the freezer.
To serve, simply unmold on a decorative plate, slice, and garnish with a drizzle of agave and almonds, as desired.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 168Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 21mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 1gSugar: 23gProtein: 3g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.