Paleo Vanilla-Caramel Ice Cream

Treat, Don't Cheat

This is a great motto!  Follow the Paleo guidelines but still allow yourself to have fabulous treats.  Ice cream is definitely a treat, wouldn't you say?  

This is true, old-fashioned ice cream.  Real milk and cream from grass-fed cows (scroll down for a dairy-free version).   Pastured/cage-free eggs (don't be mislead by the term 'vegetarian diet' -- that means chickens were not allowed to roam freely and eat bugs, as chickens like to do).

Coconut sugar is minimally processed.  It does not taste like coconut.  The lightest coconut sugar is labelled 'Blonde'.  I have not tested darker sugars so I don't know how they would turn out in a recipe.  Blonde sugar gives a bit of caramel flavor and light beige color.

Be sure vanilla does not contain corn syrup.


Paleo Ice Cream
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup 'blonde' coconut sugar
5 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla

Separate eggs and place yolks in a large bowl. 

Over medium-low, begin to heat 1 cup cream and 1 cup milk in a large-sized sauce pan. When the milk begins to steam, add coconut sugar and stir constantly with a heat resistant rubber spatula until the milk begins to thicken slightly and sugar is dissolved.  Milk will have a caramel color and you may see a few brown floaties.  This is totally okay.

Temper hot milk into egg yolks.  Place your bowl on a shelf liner, damp towel, or one of those rubbery hot pads to keep it from sliding around, whisking with one hand, begin to add milk very slowly.  You want to gently warm the yolks without scrambling them.  Add just a few drops at first, then slowly increase the stream as you are pouring and whisking simultaneously.  Pour about 3/4 of the hot milk into eggs, then pour the egg mixture back into the pan of milk.  Cook over very low heat for less than one minute, stirring constantly.  You are cooking the eggs without them knowing it. 

Pour the milk/egg mixture through a fine mesh strainer into your large bowl to remove any egg lumps or large bits of sugar.  Add remaining 1/2 cup milk and 1-1/2 cups cream and stir well.  Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the liquid, gently working any large air bubbles to the side of the bowl.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Add vanilla just before churning your ice cream.  Follow your machine's instructions.

Dairy-Free: substitute coconut milk for all of the milk and heavy cream.  All other instructions remain the same.  I prefer Thai Kitchen coconut milk (full fat variety).

In the top photo is a delicious zucchini brownie, also Paleo.  You can find the recipe here.



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