With the warmer weather encroaching many of us, it is only appropriate that I start publishing some cool-down paleo desserts. I love soft serve ice cream and at the same time I really enjoy trying to work with a super fruit like Dragonfruit and using low glycemic sweeteners. I have been working with two food-related companies and one of my friends came up with a terrific idea that features their goods. So, I had to share and now it is over to you Katie!
I had a blast creating this simple dessert. Making soft serve ice cream is a favorite in my family and the kids go nuts. I used Tina’s Dragonfruit, otherwise known as Pitaya from PitayaPLus which is a good source of fiber and magnesium. It has a green pear or lychee flavor that’s not very sweet at all, with no tang. A very ripe fruit is sweeter, and the deep magenta fleshed variety is sweetest. The nutritional benefits are really terrific and as a superfruit and an anti-oxidant it is a great way to slip them both into one’s diet in a fun way. PitayaPlus makes these terrific fresh pouches that I loved working with. So easy, and as a busy mom I really need that.
I used Zensweet’s sweetener which uses three ingredients. One being Monk fruit. It is a clean-tasting sweetener with a flavor very close to white sugar, no aftertaste, and can be substituted in equal measurements. Its glycemic index is zero, which is great news for diabetics as it doesn’t spike blood sugar levels. That’s something Tina and I are always striving for in our recipes and in our family meals.
We’d love to hear how this soft serve turns out for you. Be sure to email in and let us know!
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Soft Serve Ice Cream with Dragonfruit
Description
I love soft serve ice cream and at the same time I really enjoy trying to work with a super fruit like Dragonfruit and using low glycemic sweeteners. I have been working with two food-related companies and one of my friends came up with a terrific idea that features their goods!
Ingredients
- 2 Pitaya Plus smoothie packs (200 grams; equal to about 1 large raw dragon fruit)
- 1 16 ounce can coconut cream
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup Zen Sweet (monk fruit sweetener) or 1 very ripe banana
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients except the fruit until smooth and pour into a saucepan on the stovetop.
- Heat on medium, stirring occasionally, until it starts to bubble at the edges. (About 5 minutes. Don’t let it boil!)
- Let cool a few minutes. Pour back into the blender and add the dragon fruit.
- If you have an ice cream maker, let it take over the rest of the job and follow instructions for your machine. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour the mixture into an airtight container and put it in the freezer. I use a glass brownie tray with a silicon lid because the shallower the container, the quicker the freeze.
- After two or three hours pull it out and give it a good stir or vigorous shake. This breaks up and disperses the ice crystals throughout, giving it a smoother, more uniform texture. After about six hours it should be ready to scoop and will be smooth like gelato.
Notes
You can make this into a raw and vegan smoothie without the eggs and freeze remaining blended ingredients in snack-sized Ziploc baggies for delicious smoothies on the go.
If you have any questions or suggestions just email me at Tina (at) Paleomazing.com.
I'm a cookbook-collecting, recipe-developing paleo junkie, and I live in the kitchen. I'm hooked on farmers' markets, traveling, eating healthy, and hiking until my legs scream at me. There's nothing better than hanging out with family and good friends. I have fun and sleeping is just plain boring. Read more About Tina Turbin.
