Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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.

This book has some of the best recipes for vegan ice cream I've ever tried. The author really knows his ice cream. The recipes are easy and usually only call for a few ingredients. There are beautiful pictures every few pages. The recipes I've tried so far have been amazing. Not sure if I would try some of the more unusual flavors like wasabi, eucalyptus, or seaweed but the pictures make them look pretty good.

The recipes in this book work. You can make a reasonable facsimile of ice cream. The problem is that only someone who hasn't eaten dairy-based ice cream in years is going to be fooled because the taste and the texture are just wrong. Both of these issues arise from the fact that the author has attempted to make this ice cream "healthy" by creating low-calorie, low-fat ice cream (Would you really be eating ice cream if you are concerned about health?) If you know a little about cooking, you know that fat enhances the flavor of food. Since there is so little fat in these ice creams, a lot of extract is added to create enough flavor. Many recipes call for one tablespoon of vanilla extract. Each recipe makes a little less than a quart of ice cream so this is way too much extract. The minimal amounts of fat also result in an ice cream that just isn't creamy. Most of the ice creams I have made from this book freeze solid. Adding small amounts of alcohol to each batch help prevent this but the final result just isn't creamy.

There is good news! Another vegan ice cream book came out around the same time. It doesn't look as slick, but I have had much more success with these recipes. SO if you cannot have dairy ice cream, I recommend Lick It! Creamy Dreamy Vegan Ice Creams Your Mouth Will Love instead of this book.

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.

The recipes really inspire you to think about how decadent you can make vegan ice cream, they kind of remind me of the crazy ice cream flavors you can get in Japan (big plus!).

So far I have tried the champaign sorbet and the basic chocolate ice cream and have been satisfied, but not completely wowed by the end product. Still working on altering them to fit my tastes.

The champaign sorbet ended up turning into an ice cube overnight, but was delicious the night it was made. The agave nectar does overpower the champaign a bit so when he says go for good champaign think Mumm not Veuve, not that I minded finishing up the open bottle, but just saying.

The basic Chocolate was way too sweet for my taste. Sure that others would love it though and it is easy enough to remedy for next time.

Overall very happy with this book as it will be great for making desserts to quiet guests complaining about having no meat in their dinner.

You don't have to be vegan to appreciate the 150 dairy-free ice cream recipes in The Vegan Scoop, by Wheeler del Torro. Maybe you're one in 9 people who suffers from lactose intolerance and lacks the ability to digest lactose, the main sugar in milk. Maybe you are trying to wean yourself off dairy products because dairy is an opiate and therefore is addictive (check out Breaking The Food Seduction, by Neal Barnard, M.D.). Or maybe you are just looking for a fun, healthy family activity like making ice cream together. If you fall into any of the above categories, you will love The Vegan Scoop. I've already made Vanilla, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, and Rocky Road (with Sweet & Sara's awesome gelatin-free marshmallows!) and the results were beyond my expectations. Not only was the ice cream rich, creamy, and glossy, a nutritional comparison chart in the book indicates that a one-half cup serving of vanilla ice cream in the book has only 80 calories, 1.5 g of fat, 17g carbs, and 11g sugar, compared to one-half cup of Haagen-Dazs Vanilla which has 289 calories, 19.3g fat (much of which is saturated), 22.5g carbs, and 22.5g sugar. I skipped cholesterol because all vegan food is cholesterol-free; only animal products contain cholesterol. However, one-half cup of Haagen Dazs Vanilla ice cream contains 129mg of artery-clogging cholesterol. The ice cream recipes in The Vegan Scoop are made with any kind of non-dairy milk including soy, rice, almond, or coconut milk, in combination with non-dairy creamer. You don't need a fancy-schmansy ice cream machine to make the recipes. You can get an inexpensive non-electric canister-type ice cream machine in which you freeze the canister for 24 hours in advance. That and about 5 ingredients including granulated vegan sugar or low glycemic agave syrup will yield decadent, guilt-free frozen treats. The book has something for everyone: There are Classic Flavors like Chocolate and Vanilla, but also Bubblegum, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl; Fruity Flavors like Rhubard, and Honeydew; Healthy Flavors like Carob Apricot, and Ginger Ginseng; Asian Flavors like Black Sesame, and Red Bean; Caribbean and Island Flavors like Guava, and Star Fruit; Novelty Flavors like New York Irish Cream, and Apple Pie; and Aphrodisiacal Flavors like Anise, and Lavender. There are even recipes for sugar cones, sauces, cookies, cakes, pies, waffles, and scones! I highly recommend this book to anyone who is wants to make healthy homemade ice cream without sacrificing taste, texture, or nutritional value.

We just got this book and have tried two flavors so far... they were both fantastic! They both tasted better than ANY vegan ice cream I have ever purchased at the market. The texture was also better than any vegan ice cream I have tried to make on my own before. Note that we used the soy creamer, as called for, but Blue Diamond vanila almond milk for the milk (our favorite). We can't wait to try more flavors!

I have only been I vegan for about 6 months. I am a mother of four, finding a way to show my kids that there are many ways to enjoy non-dairy ice cream was a bit of a challenge. This book was easy to use, gives a brief but fairly complete overview of ingredients, but most importantly, takes the mystery out of how to create a frozen dessert that is good, no better, and less expensive than the options available to vegans in the marketplace. I admit to being an experienced cook and baker, which made altering recipes to suit my creativity perhaps a bit easier. One recommendation I would make to anyone using these recipes is to try to replace the soy creamer with a newer product called Mimic Cream. It is made out of almond and cashew milks and allows those who need a break from soy an option. Highly recommended!!

WHEELER DEL TORRO'S THE VEGAN SCOOP IS MY FAVORITE COOKBOOK OF ALL TIME. The end. Shortest book review ever.

I kid, I kid - but just about the last part. In all seriousness, THE VEGAN SCOOP really is a personal favorite. I love everything about this cookbook: the gorgeous, glossy pages. The luscious, lovingly-photographed balls of frozen deliciousness. The easy-to-follow - yet terribly creative - recipes. The sometimes-sneakily subversive "tasty tidbits" that grace each page's margins. The way del Torro encourages readers to experiment with different fruits, spices, seasonings and - yes! - even vegetables on their own. The freaking color palette. Simply put, THE VEGAN SCOOP is all kinds of awesomeness.

The book, which - have I not already mentioned? - itself looks yummy enough to eat - features 150 recipes for vegan, dairy-free ice cream and ice-cream related foodstuffs. (Disclaimer: all of the ice cream recipes require an ice cream maker.)

del Torro arranges his frozen concoctions into nine categories:

* Classic Flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Rocky Road, Caramel and Butterscotch;
* Fruity Flavors: Blueberry, Nectarine, Honeydew, Green Apple and Pear;
* Healthy Flavors: Lavender Mint, Vanilla Cardamom, Sweet Potato Basil and Oats and Fig;
* Asian Flavors: Black Sesame, Wasabi, Cherry Blossom and Goji Berry Banana;
* Caribbean and Island Flavors: Guava, Coconut, Star Fruit and Ginger Beer Sorbet;
* Novelty Flavors: Chestnut, Chocolate Pretzel, Pecan Apple Danish and New York Irish Creme;
* Aphrodisiacal Flavors: Jasmine, Rose Water, Licorice and Fresh Mint Lime;
* Ice Cream Vessels and Sauces: Sugar Cones, Hot Fudge, Caramel Sauce and Very Berry Sauce; and
* Ice Cream Sides and Desserts: Blondies, Chocolate Chip Biscotti, Boston Cream Pie and Italian White Cream Cake - to name but a few.

While many of del Torro's ice cream flavors are incredibly imaginative (Seaweed!), all use the same base as a jumping-off point, namely: 1 cup of soymilk, 2 cups of soy creamer and 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder, with 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar, depending on the dish. The cool thing about this, of course, is that uniformity leads to familiarity, which - in this case - breeds confidence and self-esteem. After a little time spent practicing with the recipes in THE VEGAN SCOOP, even this amateur felt comfortable enough to experiment with her own fantasy flavors.

To wit: my dear mother gifted my husband and I an ice cream maker for x-mas 2008, and it was shortly thereafter that I purchased THE VEGAN SCOOP. During the subsequent two summers of ice cream churning madness, we experimented with the following flavors:

* Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (page 39);
* Berries Galore (a variation on del Torro's Blueberry, page 62);
* Vanilla Ice Cream, with frozen chunks of chocolate brownies mixed in as suggested (page 36);
* Chocolate Ice Cream, with frozen chunks of chocolate brownies mixed in, again at del Torro's suggestion (page 37);
* Cookie Dough Ice Cream (page 42; Pumpkin and Oats Ice Cream (page 139);
* Green Tea Ice Cream (page 122); and
* My own Chocolate Coffee Marshmallow Ice Cream, based on del Torro's Coffee Ice Cream recipe (page 58).

Of the recipes we tried, all but one ranged from tasty at the low end (Mint Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin and Oats) to yummy (Vanilla Brownie, Berries Galore) to downright orgasmic (Green Tea, Chocolate Coffee Marshmallow). The lone dud? Jalapeño (page 172). Actually, I wouldn't call it a "dud" so much as a "bomb" or an "explosive of some type."

I didn't dare try it, but according to the husband - who loves spicy foods - that ship was hot. The recipe calls for three medium-sized jalapeños, to be tempered by a quart of ice cream; you do the math! He tried "watering" the spice down by mixing some of the Jalapeño with store-bought vanilla ice cream in a 1:1 ratio, to no avail; eventually, he threw the whole batch out.

Other than this one early debacle, we've had nothing but good luck with the recipes found in THE VEGAN SCOOP. The Green Tea and Chocolate Coffee Marshmallow Ice Creams are my own holy grails: the former tastes way better than any store-bought Green Tea ice cream I've tried (it blows Turtle Mountain's Purely Decadent version out of the water, yo!); and, while I used to enjoy the hell out of Tofutti's Coffee Marshmallow Swirl, I haven't seen it on a store shelf in ages (by which I mean at least five years), so I'm absolutely thrilled at the prospect of making my own!

This - the ability to bring your own fantasy flavors to life - is truly the coolest (pun so intended! and cheesy!) part of owning an ice cream maker, understanding the basics of ice cream churning, and having the confidence to venture out on your own. Most of which I can thank Wheeler del Torro for. (Thanks, dude! Also: mom.)

Before I close this review out, I should probably offer a caveat re: the ingredients found in THE VEGAN SCOOP. About half of the recipes call for rather mundane, easy-to-find (assuming you live in middle-class America) ingredients; the kind of items you can pick up at any box store. Others require a little more searching, e.g., online or in "international" or "specialty" food stores. For example, I had to purchase the matcha powder for the Green Tea ice cream online, and I'm still searching for the ingredients for others (star fruit? black sesame seeds? darn you box store, why don't you carry lavender leaves!?).

Keep this in mind when calculating the convenience and price of making your own vegan ice cream as opposed to buying it in the store. I prefer to make my own, since I live 1 1/2 hour's drive from the closest natural foods store, and have a stand-alone freezer in my laundry room. If you rent a box in NYC and live a stone's throw from a vegan ice cream parlour, DIY ice cream - or at least that which requires a bulky ice cream maker - might not be the best choice for you.