Dairy free ice cream is all the rage this summer. FoMu, is a popular Boston-based ice cream company that sources its fresh ingredients locally and makes small batch plant-based ice cream. Their vanilla bean coconut-based ice cream is outstanding and I thought, why not try this at home. My version is very light and refreshing with lime juice and just a little sweetener. The coconut ice cream base is slowly simmered on the stove top, chilled and then transferred to an ice cream machine to freeze. You can use a freezer-safe container or bowl instead of an ice cream machine and stir a few times, adding air during the  freezing process.

Coconut Lime Ice Cream

• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, lightly toasted
• Three 14-ounce cans (unsweetened/full fat) coconut milk (I like the Thai Kitchen brand)
• 1/2 cup good quality honey (I like raw wildflower honey)
• 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Juice of 1 lime (use the zest for garnish)
• Pinch of sea salt
• Garnish: coconut flakes and lime zest

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes. Watch it closely as it can burn.

In a small sauce pan, combine the toasted coconut flakes, coconut milk and vanilla. Cook over a low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place a fine mesh sieve over a heatproof metal or glass bowl. Pour the coconut milk mixture through the sieve, pressing down with a spoon to extract as much milk from the solids. Let the coconut milk cool and discard the solids. Stir the honey, lime juice and salt into the milk.

Refrigerate until it’s cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Make sure your ice cream churning bowl is frozen before using! Place mixture into an ice cream machine, following the manufacturer’s instructions or a freezer safe container. The ice cream can be kept frozen for up to two weeks. Garnish the ice cream with coconut flakes and lime zest. Makes 1 quart of ice cream.