Plantain Ice Cream (No-Churn)

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Fusion

Prep Time: 10

Total Time: 4 10

Servings: servings

Calories: 356kcal

Easy, dairy-free ice cream or nice cream with sweet plantain, coconut, and vanilla notes

Remove skin from plantains. Add plantains to the food processor bowl.
Add coconut milk, vanilla extract, coconut sugar, and sea salt.
Cover food processor and pulse on medium speed until ingredients form a smooth and uniform mixture. Pause and scrape down sides of bowl with a spatula, as needed.
Transfer nice cream mixture into a freezer-safe, sealable container and freeze for at least four hours or until it is frozen solid.
To serve: remove from freezer and thaw for at least 10 minutes then scoop.

Heat a large skillet over medium flame. Chop groundnut or peanuts to desired consistency.
Add chopped groundnut to skillet then sprinkle coconut sugar and sea salt over top. Gently turn ingredients in skillet.
Pour water over top and move ingredients quickly around skillet to coat and caramelize the groundnut.
Serve over top of plantain ice cream and store extra in an airtight container.

Be sure to use overripe plantains. This will concentrate the sugar and ensure you get naturally sweetened ice cream without the need for added sugar. I even have tips for picking perfectly sweet plantains for you!
Coconut sugar is optional. If you use overripe plantains that are close to spoiling, the natural sugar will likely be enough. You can also use other sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar instead, if needed.
Use a container that is freezer safe and seals out air to keep your sweet plantain treat fresh and free of ice crystals.
Allow the nice cream to thaw for about 10 minutes before serving so that you get smooth, creamy, and even scoops. Because there are no additives in this recipe, it takes a bit longer to soften up compared to what you'd buy at the grocery store.
Do I have to boil the plantain first? When cooking with overripe plantains, some people boil them as a preparatory step to remove starch. This is an optional step up to your preference. I don't boil plantains for nice cream. But if you are not familiar with the starchy taste and texture of ripe sweet plantain, boiling might be a great step.