Did you know July is National Ice Cream month? As much as we love our no-sugar, simple teas and coffees, we all love a little ice cream or sorbet now and then. So, we had some fun coming up with recipes that use our teas and coffee to flavor them!
Both of these recipes have much less sugar in them than you might find in your typical ice cream or sorbet. You won’t miss it, either. They’re no-hassle, no-cook recipes you can make with or without an ice cream maker and with just a few ingredients.
The best part is, these recipes are as versatile as they are simple. Think of them as “the basics” - the steps you need to make a basic no-cook ice cream and a basic no-cook sorbet. You can mix the ice cream recipe up by using any tea or coffee to flavor it. Try Earl Grey Tea, Spicy Chai, Dirty Chai Coffee or Green Tea! If you like a stronger flavor, up the amount of tea or coffee you use. If you like just a hint of flavor, use just one stick. Or, add some color and skip the caffeine with Everyday Wellness (hibiscus rose) Herbal Tea.
The sorbet recipe will work well with just about any fruit. The lime will always add the touch of acid to counter the fruit’s sweetness, and you can adjust sugar to your liking. Try skipping sugar altogether and using maple syrup or honey. Liquid may not be necessary if you want a thicker sorbet, and you don’t need to use frozen fruit - fresh fruit works just as well. Try making a Peach Green Tea Sorbet with fresh peaches (unpeeled if you please) or frozen.
The options are endless!
Thanks to Cusa Shipping Team Member Rie for the Mocha Coffee Ice Cream recipe - it tasted amazing with the freezer, no-ice cream maker method every time!
Recipe 1: Mocha Coffee Ice Cream
This is a no-cook, no eggs and low sugar recipe. It makes about 1 pint of ice cream.
Ingredients:
- 1-2 sticks Cusa Mocha*
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Directions (No Ice Cream Maker):
- Warm milk for about 1 minute in the microwave. Mix/whisk with sugar and Cusa Mocha and let cool. If you’re in a hurry, you can cool it in a larger bowl filled with ice water.
- Mix heavy whipping cream with a hand mixer until soft peaks form.
- Add the cool milk and coffee mixture into the cream, a little at a time, stirring gently with a spoon until just combined.
- Pour into a small bread pan or a shallow freezer-proof container (about 1 quart in size).
- Freeze for one hour. Remove and then stir with a spoon or fork.
- Freeze for another hour, then stir. Repeat this process 3-5 times until ice cream is ready!
Directions (Ice Cream Maker):
- Follow steps 1-3 as above.
- Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
*For light flavor, add just one. For stronger flavor, add just two. Both taste great! We thought that 2 sticks was just right.
Recipe 2: Mango Green Tea Sorbet
This is a no-cook and low sugar recipe. It makes about 1 quart of sorbet.
Ingredients:
- 1-2 sticks Cusa Green Tea
- ¼ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅓ cup pineapple juice*
- 3-4 cups frozen mango chunks
- Juice of one lime
Directions (No Ice Cream Maker):
- Put the container you will store sorbet in into the freezer to keep cold.
- Heat water in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Stir in sugar and Cusa Green Tea and dissolve.
- Add pineapple juice and lime juice to the sugar/tea mixture and stir well.
- Put mango chunks into a blender and add liquids. Blend, stopping periodically to scrape sides of the blender, until very smooth. Alternatively, you can use a food processor or hand blender in a bowl.
- Put the mixture into the cold container and freeze for at least 4 hours. If it’s too hard to scoop when you want to serve it, put it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to soften.
Directions (Ice Cream Maker):
- If you have an ice cream maker with a removable canister, put it in the freezer to keep cold.
- Follow steps 2-5 above.
- Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If there is a sorbet setting, following those instructions.
*Juice is optional. Skip it if you don’t have it. Try leaving it out entirely for a slightly thicker sorbet, or double the amount of water you use. Or, try another juice!
