The Vegan Scoop: 150 Recipes for Dairy-Free Ice Cream that Tastes Better Than the "Real" Thing [Paperback]

Wheeler del Torro (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2009

The Vegan Scoop brings the pleasures of the ice cream parlor into your home with 150 recipes for delicious frozen desserts that are so rich and creamy, they’re better than the “real” thing—and contain one-third the calories!

Developed by vegan hipster Wheeler del Torro of Wheeler’s Frozen Desserts, these “faux” creams feature 100 percent vegan-certified ingredients, making them suitable for both vegans and those with lactose intolerance and other dairy aversions. And with each serving containing approximately 80 calories—nearly 100 calories fewer than a serving of traditional ice cream—you can indulge with peace of mind (and keep your trim waistline!).  

Chapters are devoted to innovative flavor “inspirations,” and cover everything from Caribbean & Island Flavors to Healthy Flavors and Aphrodisiacal Flavors. You’ll also find two chapters full of recipes for toppings, sauces, sides, and other dessert accompaniments.

Recipes include:

 

Peanut Butter Banana

Black Sesame

Chocolate Marshmallow

Almond Cookie

Orange Passion Fruit

Granola Crunch

Pecan Apple Danish

Espresso Bean

Vanilla Graham Cracker
and hundreds more!

 

Editorial Reviews

Review

“These recipes are totally out of control! Veganism has never been so fun, easy, and innovative.”

—Rory Freedman, author of #1 New York Times bestseller Skinny Bitch

“The Vegan Scoop will forever change the way you think about ice cream. In Wheeler del Torro’s hands, vegan ice cream is not only far more nutritious than traditional ice cream, but more delicious and outrageously varied. This book is an absolute must-have for ice cream aficionados everywhere.”

—Dr. Will Tuttle, Ph.D., author of The World Peace Diet

 “As luscious as the recipes themselves, this cookbook puts vegan ice cream on the map and leaves its animal-based counterpart in the dust. Vibrant, fun, and full of factoids, The Vegan Scoop is pure bliss.”

—Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, author of the award-winning

The Joy of Vegan Baking and The Vegan Table

“This is the ultimate book of dairy-free dessert. Bursting with innovative flavor combinations, tasty toppings, and irresistible accompaniments, expert ice cream maker Wheeler del Torro has created a true masterpiece with The Vegan Scoop. I’d like a scoop of everything, please!”

—John Robbins, Author of Healthy at 100,

The Food Revolution, and Diet for a New America

“This is the best thing ever to happen to vegan ice cream! The enticing flavors and colorful pictures are impossible to resist.”

—Jennifer McCann, author of Vegan Lunch Box and

Vegan Lunch Box Around the World

About the Author

Wheeler del Torro is the founder and owner of Wheeler\u2019s Frozen Desserts, a microcreamery based in Boston that produces vegan ice cream using soy, coconut, rice and almond milks. Del Torro, who was born in Jamaica and moved to the U.S. as a teen, began the company in 2001, initially creating custom flavors for restaurants, companies, and high-end clientele. He opened his first store this year in Boston, and plans on opening a sister shop in L.A. soon. You can find him at www.icecreamproject.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Fair Winds Press (June 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592333923
• ISBN-13: 978-1592333929
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 0.7 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,235 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

95 of 99 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Uninspired and repetitive October 29, 2009

By Mark Newman

Format:Paperback

First let me say the I did learn two things from this book -- saving it from a one-star rating. Those things were:

Arrowroot powder is a nice additive for better texture
Soy creamer can be used for a creamier texture

I have made soy-based ice cream for years now, but have never used either of these ingredients. I would merely take a regular ice cream recipe and substitute soy milk for real milk. These concoctions were good, but lacked a bit in the texture department. Now I have a solution!

As for the rest of this recipe book, it is a single base recipe for the majority with a single ingredient added to make a unique flavor. So, for Espresso ice cream, add 1/4 c espresso to the base recipe. For "Earl Grey", steep the soy milk in 8 bags of Earl Grey -- same base recipe otherwise! Are we to believe that adding a single simple ingredient will transform this recipe into the perfect balance of new flavors? No additional sugar or slightly less sugar would be better? And does every recipe really benefit from EXACTLY 1 Tbls of vanilla extract?

Also, I tried one of the "novelty" flavors -- Chocolate Martini. Next to the recipe is a picture of thick, creamy, dark chocolate ice cream with a frozen black olive on the side. Wow! Amazing that you can get such a wonderful looking ice cream from sugar water and a total of 6 teaspooons of various liquors. Well, you can't! The mix looks like dirty water and the finished product looks like a dirty slushy -- and tastes about the same.

I am going to buy "Lick It!" which is recommended by another reviewer. Sounds more promising. I'll also be experimenting with my own recipes by adding various quantities of soy creamer and arrowroot powder.

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A great book, as long as you like soy and refined sugar July 25, 2009

By K. Mitchell

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is filled with inventive, delicious and delicious-sounding recipes, accompanied by pictures that make you want to start making ice cream immediately! I had to run right out and buy the specialty items almost every recipe calls for - arrowroot powder (hint: buy it bulk online to avoid the super high grocery store prices - we paid $7 for a few ounces of the spice jar, and you can get a couple pounds for that if buying it online!) and soy creamer (I got Silk, in the dairy fridge). Update: I have now made several ice creams from this book, including one with coconut milk instead of soy creamer, and they were all delicious. I only strictly followed the recipe for one of them, and I consider that a compliment to this book, that it inspires you to be creative.

The only drawback to the book is that almost every recipe calls for soy milk or soy creamer, as well as either white (usually) or brown sugar. Out of 150, there are only 12 or 13 that do not have soy milk or creamer (and a few of those are sorbets with no milk at all). The author recommends experimenting with nut and coconut milks, and even gives a recipe for making your own cashew milk, but I have not tried this yet. Given how "creamy" soy creamer is compared to say, almond milk, I am uncertain about how the ice cream might turn out. Maybe too much "ice" and not enough "cream"? Specific suggestions would have been useful here. For the sugar, I have been substituting agave with mixed results. (Most recipes call for about 1/2 to 3/4 a cup of sugar to make 1 quart of ice cream.) Update: I have found that when substituting agave for sugar, about half the amount the recipe calls for is good. I think agave must not "disappear" when freezing the way sugar does.

In short, if you want vegan ice cream, and you aren't put off by soy or sugar, or aren't afraid to experiment, I wholeheartedly recommend this book. Update: this book inspired me to experiment and I love making my own vegan ice cream. After making several batches of ice cream and identifying several more I can't wait to make, I still wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Update 2011: Years later and I still use this book. I use coconut milk instead of soy in most of the recipes with outstanding success. My non-vegan ice-cream-loving mother requests my spicy chocolate ice cream whenever I am making dessert! However, I have found some recipes that *must* contain typos. Specifically, the spicy chocolate, and the lavender. Either that or the author and I have very different types of cayenne pepper and lavender extract! I still recommend this book, but if you see something that sounds outrageous, you might want to be skeptical.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful PHOTOS Make This a Must Have June 8, 2009

By Tod Brilliant

Format:Paperback

The Vegan Scoop: 150 Recipes for Dairy-Free Ice Cream that Tastes Better Than the "Real" Thing

Like most of you reading this review, I've a shelf full of cookbooks. And I know from experience that I tend to actually USE the cookbooks that have great photography . . . the shots simply inspire me to try to recreate what's on the page. And what good is a cookbook that collects dust?

The Vegan Scoop's recipes are an ice-cream lover's goldmine. From spot-on classics like chocolate, bubblegum and cookie dough to incredible exotics like Dark & Stormy (my favorite drink) sorbet and pink pepper tarragon, there are enough variations to keep the avid ice cream fan in sweets for years.

Then there's the helpful (and healthful) tips and the ingredient descriptions/history . . . the book just keeps on giving. Definitely one of my all-time favorite cookbooks. OH, and not just ice cream, sorbet and gelatos, but brownies, sauces -- all kinds of incredible desserts.

Do what I did - pick up several copies as it makes for the perfect, easy (and cheap!) gift for anyone with a serious sweet tooth.