Six years ago this August I was sitting on the Great Wall of China. It’s a significant memory to me: climbing and climbing, leaving the sweltering humidity behind and slowly making my way toward blue sky and high towers. Adam was with me, along with two of his Chinese students, Fran and Jack*. We spent the day there, walking and climbing, sitting and staring. I remember taking a break on crumbled steps, my mind’s eye sharp and clear. Breathing hard and enchanted by my first journey in the mountains, I was reminded of all the lives I was sitting on: lives given to the endless project of the boundless Wall. Yet here we were, crawling all over the stone, taking pretty pictures for our scrapbooks. My unconscious was shaken with how easily beauty and sorrow dance together. What odd partners they are, and how terrible or joyous when they switch off leading.
Our drive home was silent; we were crazy-tired and soaked with sweat. The subject of dinner came up; we were hungry, too, and while we debated where to stop Fran mentioned in passing the three things she hated most to eat: coffee, dairy, and chocolate. I was shocked, and all my musings and soon-to-be journal entries flitted away as I thought of life without the better part of my diet. We laughed at our varied food cultures, and I told her when she came to visit I would change her mind.
She never came to us, but I think of her often, climbing the tremendous Wall near me, a faithful friend and guide from our first hello. I am certain this ice cream would have convinced her to think differently about her three least favorite foods – a deep coffee flavor that is tamed slightly by the cream, and chocolate at it’s purest form: crunchy, bitter cacao nibs subtly mellowed by the sweet milk.
Dear Fran, this is for you. If there is ever a time to eat together, I hope this would persuade you otherwise about my beloved treats. But even if not, I would thank you for your sincere friendship and unassuming kindness that brought beauty and insight to our climb.
*Fran and Jack refused to let us call them by their Chinese names, so I only knew them by their chosen American names.
no-churn coffee ice cream with cacao nibs
adapted from everyday food
My favorite way to eat this no-churn ice cream is about 3-4 hours into freezing – it’s still a little soft, and just melts in your mouth. I sneak bits out of my fridge at this point. However, if you want it more firm, freeze it the full 6 hours or overnight. I used cold press in my ice cream, but if you don’t have that on hand, strong coffee will work just fine. Use any roast that you enjoy.
1 can [14 ounces] sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup strong cold coffee or cold press
2 cups cold heavy cream
1/3 cup cacao nibs
In a medium bowl, stir together condensed milk, vanilla, coffee and cacao nibs.
With a standing mixer, whip cream on medium high until soft peaks form. Whisk one third of whipped cream into coffee mixture. Fold remaining whipped cream into coffee mixture until incorporated. Pour into a regular sized loaf pan, and freeze until firm, 6 hours [or, covered, up to 1 week].
27 Comments
vanillasugarblog
Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 3:25 pmyou know when it’s 1000 degrees out and you want a less-laborious ice cream–this is it.
vanilla bean blog
Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 1:51 amYes! I love this easy recipe. It’s all I make now. 🙂
london bakes
Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 4:47 pmI’m not a great coffee fan either but I think this could probably turn me too. I love the idea of homemade ice creams but there’s no room in my tiny kitchen for an ice cream maker so I’m really excited to see a delicious looking ice cream that involves minimal effort. Beautiful, as ever.
vanilla bean blog
Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 1:52 amThanks Kathryn. I heart this recipe so much – so easy. We are eating too much ice cream here because of it.
my little celebration
Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 5:30 pmLove this.
Dilovely
Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 9:25 pmYUM! That sounds like my ideal way to have coffee.
Kaitlin
Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 1:15 pmFantastic post! I love recipes inspired by friends. Very sweet of you 🙂
vanilla bean blog
Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 1:52 amThanks Kaitlin! I love when friends inspire good things, too.
Elaina @ Flavour
Monday, April 2, 2012 at 2:34 amWhat a beautiful memory to match such a beautiful post….I absolutely love your poetry attached to every post. You are an inspiration….stunning photography as well! xo
vanilla bean blog
Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 1:53 amThanks Elaina – you are so kind.
kale @ tastes good to me!
Monday, April 2, 2012 at 2:44 amAww, I love the inspiration for this gorgeous ice cream!
Sacha
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 at 2:49 amThe ice cream looks fantastic. I only drink tea. My coffee consumption comes exclusively in the form of ice cream and desserts, which I love! But as good as the ice cream sounds, that story was what drew me in. Just lovely.
vanilla bean blog
Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 1:54 amThanks Sacha. I always appreciate your encouragement. It means so much – I love your storytelling, too.
Ladies Holiday
Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at 4:54 pmyay- you’re here! what a lovely story…this looks like it will be fun for hte kids to help with too.
ilana freddye
Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at 5:31 pmI can’t wait to try all this no churn ice cream out when I get home this summer. My dad is going to love love love this coffee one.
Russell at Chasing Delicious
Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at 8:23 pmHow cool is this recipe! And what a scrumptious recipe. I am definitely making this soon – I love all things coffee.
vanilla bean blog
Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 1:54 amThanks Russell! I hope you like it. I’m addicted.
thelittleloaf
Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 12:42 pmYou’re back! I’ve missed your gorgeous recipes 🙂
I’ve yet to make one of your no churn ice creams as I’m obsessed with my ice cream maker, but I really want to give one a go as they all look so delicious. Plus anything with condensed milk in gets my vote.
I’m not a coffee drinker, but I love the flavour in ice creams, granita and other desserts so this looks right up my street, plus the crunch of the cacao nibs would be utterly wonderful. Love.
EagleGreen
Monday, April 23, 2012 at 3:19 pmHi! First time I’ve visited you/your blog, and WOW! What a gift. Thank you so much. Now, I have to do a hard-climbing, sweaty trek to work off the calories! It’s worth it–I’ll make it again!
Anonymous
Monday, June 4, 2012 at 5:46 pmYou need a pintrest button! Just made the ice cream and it tasted good pre-frozen. We’ll see how it turns out in about 6 hours! 🙂
Anonymous
Monday, November 5, 2012 at 3:31 amIm going to make this for my mom she loves coffee so does my dad for this recipe do you have to use cacao nibs for it to work
hermes bag outlet
Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 9:01 amwow. it’s really a good contribution to us guys not good at icecream, you know i did some cakes before but the taste it’s not good, then i quit, so if you have interesting, you can load to coco chanel online
visit my new make up, give me your advice, Thanks!
Weekend Wishes | Channeling Contessa
Saturday, August 3, 2013 at 9:36 am[…] no-churn ice cream (Would you believe that I’ve never made homemade ice cream? It’s one of my favorite […]
April
Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 9:13 pmDo you think this would work with coconut milk/cream?
Sarah
Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 10:45 pmI have made a coconut milk version (here: https://www.thevanillabeanblog.com/2012/01/toasted-sesame-ice-cream-sandwich-cookies-with-no-churn-chinese-5-spice-coconut-milk-ice-cream.html) – I substituted the heavy cream for whipped coconut milk, but I haven’t found anything to replace the sweetened condensed milk. I’m assuming you are looking for a vegan version? So far I haven’t come up with anything, but if I do, I’ll let you know!
jenny
Saturday, May 9, 2015 at 7:14 ami just made it now, with an ice-cream maker, and let me tell you: it’s perfect! for those who wander about using the machine, you simply mix everything — no need to whip the cream — and put it in the ice-cream maker. thanks a LOT for a perfect flavor and texture! will be coming back to this one time and time again…:)
Sandra Mort
Monday, June 29, 2015 at 3:14 pmI made a batch of this with some alterations.
– First, I used the seeds from half a vanilla bean because I don’t have any extract. I have to remember to pick up some booze for it.
– Second, I used mini dark chocolate chips instead of cocoa nibs.
– Third, I was using semi frozen cream, so it didn’t come to the peaks properly. I was concerned about accidentally making butter, so I just dumped the coffee mixture into the kitchenaid bowl and beat them together. Actually, some of the recipes mixed the stuff together to start with and I think I’ll try that next time to save time.
– Lastly, I think my cold press was too weak because the final result wasn’t very strongly flavored. I’ll have to remember that for next time.