Cannabis-Infused Mint Chip Avocado Ice Cream

As crazy as it sounds, avocado ice cream is a delight! Avocados are packed with nutrients and healthy fats, so you don't need to feel guilty about enjoying this dessert. And of course, this recipe loaded to the gills with everyone's favorite, cannabis. A healthy mint chip ice cream that gets you stoned - what could be better in the height of Summer?

This vegan recipe uses coconut milk, but if you prefer the creamier, dairy flavor you can use a mixture of thick double cream and our own original cannamilk.

ON CHOCOLATE

The light, airy flavor of fresh mint needs the bitterness of cocoa to cut through it. It's a classic combination, and to make the perfect mint chip ice cream we follow the Italian example by employing a technique called Straciatella. This word means literally means "shreds", and refers to the act of drizzling melted chocolate into the mix as it's churned, creating thin, crunchy ribbons of chocolate that melt into delicious velvet when eaten.

It's important to use the right kind of chocolate. Chocolate chips contain oils and preservatives that will make them hard and waxy when frozen - so instead we use raw cacao nibs, or, if these are outside of your budget, you can use unsweetened dark chocolate. For this recipe, we also add cannabis-infused coconut oil. The effect of this is twofold - of course, it contains the magical edible high, but the oil will also lower the melting point of the chocolate, so it dissolves smoothly in your mouth. You could also use cannabutter or regular butter for a similar effect, but oil provides the cleanest texture and the best flavor.

INGREDIENTS

(Serves 5)

2 ripe avocados, peeled and diced

2 400ml cans full-fat coconut milk (refrigerated overnight), or 300ml double cream + 100ml whole cannamilk

1 large handful fresh spearmint leaves

15ml peppermint extract

155-185ml rice syrup, or another other natural sweetener

7.8 oz raw cacao nibs, or the same amount of unsweetened dark chocolate

30ml cannabis infused coconut oil, as featured here 

MAKING THE ICE CREAM

This one is pretty simple. Place the avocados in your blender. Scoop in your coconut milk (or double cream + cannamilk mixture), fresh mint leaves, peppermint extract, and rice syrup. Blend until smooth. At this point, if you like, you can add a splash of green food colouring, but otherwise it will come out a soft, creamy color with just a hint of green.

If you're using an ice cream maker, pour in your mix and operate the machine according to the manufacturer's instructions - remembering to add the chocolate right at the end.

For those of us without an ice cream maker, pour your mixture into a freezer-safe mixing bowl and freeze for 4 hours, mixing it thoroughly with a wooden spoon every 30 minutes. This can get tougher and require a bit of elbow grease as it hardens, but trust me, it's worth it.

ADDING THE CHOCOLATE

This is the part we've all been waiting for. Place your chocolate in a double boiler and add 30ml cannabis infused coconut oil as it melts. You can add a dash of vanilla essence for added sweetness. A little goes a long way. Once it's all melted to a smooth blend, drizzle the chocolate into your mix during the last few minutes of stirring.

ALMOST DONE...

After all the freezing and mixing, your cannabis mint chip ice cream will be ready to be scooped into a tub and placed in your freezer - but I'm sure you'll want to eat some right away. When serving, leave it in a cool place for 10 to 15 minutes first. You want it to thaw a little so the scoop can cut through it.

And there you have it. The perfect cannabis infused mint chip ice cream. The strength will vary based on how potent you make your cannamilk or cannabis-infused coconut oil, but as always, go careful - once made, eating the whole tub at once is pretty hard to resist.