Late one summer, my family rented a house on the lake for one final vacation before the busyness of fall set in. One day, I remember visiting a local dairy farm and getting ice cream from the creamery. This wasn’t just any old ice cream. This was ice cream I still dream about. It was so rich and creamy and decadent… and my favorite flavor was their apple pie ice cream. I know, I know… of all the ice cream flavors why would I choose apple pie? Trust me, this ice cream tasted exactly like Thanksgiving Day apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. Even today, many years later, when I think of good ice cream I think of that single scoop.
So, when I first tested this AIP version I jumped for joy! Literally… I was jumping up and down in my kitchen yelling “oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” It was that good and brought back all of those creamery memories like a flood. The end result is so creamy and rich, I was completely satisfied and content just after 3 bites. If you’ve missed ice cream, this recipe will definitely quench your longing!
This recipe is a bit more time consuming than other recipes on this blog and requires some planning ahead, but it is definitely worth the work! If you want to make this ice cream for an event or family gathering, I would recommend making the ice cream base and apples the night before so they have plenty of time to chill in the fridge and then all you have to do the day of is churn it! Also, if you are going to be using an ice cream maker, then be sure to freeze the base for at least 24 hours before churning the ice cream. This way it will stay nice and cold and create the right consistency.
Apple Pie Ice Cream with Caramel Sauce (AIP/ Paleo)
Ice Cream Base Ingredients
30 ounces full fat coconut milk (This brand is the best)
½ cup pure maple syrup
¼ tsp salt
2 TBS arrowroot powder
The insides of ½ vanilla bean pod or 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Set aside ½ cup of coconut milk in a small bowl. Add remaining coconut milk, maple syrup, and salt to a medium sauce span. Warm mixture on medium-low heat until maple syrup has completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk arrowroot into remaining coconut milk until completely smooth with no lumps. This will be the thickening agent for the ice cream. Add the arrowroot mixture to the warm coconut milk, whisking gently. Increase the heat to medium, stirring frequently until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a metal spoon, about 6-8 minutes. Do not let it come to a boil. Remove base from heat and add in vanilla.
Note: To scrap the insides of a vanilla bean, carefully slice the top layer of the bean in half lengthwise, not cutting through the entire bean. Open the pod, and run the edge of a small knife down the pod, scraping out the vanilla.
Pour the ice cream base into a shallow bowl and set aside to chill on the counter and then in fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Apples and Caramel Sauce Ingredients
3 granny smith apples, cored, peeled and finely chopped
¼ cup coconut sugar
2 TBS coconut oil
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
⅓ cup coconut milk
Combine apples, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and cinnamon in a sauce pan. Set to medium heat and simmer until sugar has dissolved and apples are soft, about 8 minutes. Transfer apples with slotted spoon to a small bowl, stir in salt, and set aside to cool completely.
It is important to use a slotted spoon when removing the apples, so there is left over oil, sugar, and cinnamon in the skillet. Whisk in coconut milk and bring to a boil. Once boiling, immediately turn heat down to a simmer, continuously whisking caramel until fully combined and thickened to coat the back of a metal spoon. Transfer mixture to a small bowl and set aside. Sauce is best served at room temperature.
To churn the ice cream, combine the apples with the ice cream base once completed chilled and divide into two equal portions. (This recipes makes a lot of ice cream, so I had to churn it in two separate batches). Add half of the mixture to your ice cream maker and churn according to your unit’s instructions. Mine took approximately 20 minutes. The mixture should increase in volume by half and transform from a soft-service consistency, to packed ice cream. Transfer to an airtight freezer container (I like this one), and store in freezer.
Enjoy 1 – 2 scoops and topped with caramel sauce!
