Chocolate-Nut Kefir Gelato

Chocolate Nut Kefir Gelato

By Cat, Nov 2007 (Photo, right, from Dom’s Kefir)

See also: 1. Pudding & Frozen Dessert Recipes (Menu); 2. Soaking/Sprouting Nuts & Seeds

If you are not familiar with Dom’s Kefir website, do check it out. It’s a huge site with lots of information about kefir – both kefir powdered culture and live kefir grains. Dom is from down under, and his home page is Dom’s In-Site (1)

I’ve not yet tried this recipe but it sounds delicious!

Chocolate-Nut Kefir Gelato

This wonderful recipe is from Dom’s Kefir In-Site (2).  Dom insists on using kefir cultured using real kefir grains (as opposed to Kefir powder) for the maximum health benefit.  Do not use commercial kefir, especially not the sweetened and flavored variety.

The added kefir grains are for those who want to ingest excess grains to jump-start intestinal re-inoculation with beneficial probiotic colonies, as explained on Dom’s Kefir In-Site: Can I eat kefir grains? (2).

Makes less than 1 pint; I’ve not yet tested this.

Ingredients & Equipment:

• 1 cup plain kefir (fermented at home for 16 hours, preferably from kefir grains)
• 1 banana (yellow, with no black spots on the skin)
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 12 raw or sprouted almonds, cashews,* macadamia nuts, or 4 brazil nuts, or any combo (*cashews require special attention when sprouting)
• 1 Tbsp raw or sprouted pumpkin seeds
• 1 Tbsp raw or sprouted sunflower kernels
• 1 -2 Tbsp raw honey or chopped dried fruits
• 1 – 2 Tbsp fresh kefir grains (optional)
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• Equipment:
• blender
• stainless steel pot and tub for ice bath; or
• old-fashioned ice cream churn and tub

Method

1. Blend all nuts and seeds with coconut milk in an electric blender, to creamy liquid consistency.  Strain through clean unbleached cheese cloth or muslin to collect seed and nut milk.
2. Blend the seed/nut milk with the rest of the ingredients until smooth and creamy, and without any lumps.
3. Prepare a bath of 11 pounds ice and 2 pounds rock salt sprinkled over the ice.  This will lower the temperature of the ice to -20F.
4. Pour blended gelato mixture into a tall stainless steel pot and set into ice bath, taking care not to get any of the ice bath into the pot.  (Alternately you can use an old fashioned ice cream churn).  Spin the pot in the tub of ice (or crank the churn) until the mixture sets, about 10 minutes  (See photo, above)

References:

1. Dom’s In-Site (home page and site-map): users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/
2. Dom’s In-Site gelato recipe: users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefir-faq.html#ingestingkg
3. Dom’s In-Site (about ingesting kefir grains): users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefir-faq.html#ingestingkg