Why I love this...
Vegan. Low-sugar. Easy. Cheap. Fat free and ultra low calorie. These are not the words you normally read associated with ice cream. And yet - here it is: the ultimate homemade summer treat! Sure, it's not Italian gelato or whole milk creamy goodness (the texture is really more like a sorbet), but it does make for a delicious, light and super simple dessert to have in your freezer for those days when you want some indulgence without the calories of the classic stuff. And without the need to churn or fork it through, you can prep in the morning, walk away and by the evening you can serve it up.
Ingredients
Aquafaba/Chickpea water - drained from one standard can
6 Strawberries - fresh, ripe and medium-large size
6 Tbsp Powdered/Icing sugar (approximately - adjust to taste)
Equipment
Sieve
Saucepan
Knife
Large bowl
Container to freeze in
Appliances: Hob, Blender, Mixer with whisk attachment, Freezer
Preparation
Drain the aquafaba from the chickpeas into the small saucepan (use those to make hummus, in a salad or make my Coconut Cauliflower Chickpea Curry
Bring to a boil on a high heat, then reduce the temperature and let the liquid reduce for about 7-10 minutes. Let the liquid cool down and then chill in the fridge for about 2-3 hours. it might look like it's separating a bit - that's fine.
Meanwhile, wash, core and roughly chop the strawberries. Blend with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and set aside. You can also use a fork to mash them if you don't have a blender, just make sure they're pretty liquid.
When the aquafabe is chilled, transfer it to a large bowl (either a standmixer or a separate one) and start whisking on a high speed. Once it starts to turn white and has doubled in size start gradually adding the rest of the sugar. With time, the mixture will start expanding and thickening like meringue. Once it has that thick, voluminous texture grually pour in the strawberry puree and whisk just enough to incorporate it fully. The whole whisking process will probably take about 10 minutes.
Pick up the bowl turn it to the side to make sure the mixture is thick and not runny. At this point, transfer into your freezer container, cover with a lid and freeze for 4-5 hours.