15 November, 2007
Cacao Pistachio Florentine & Mint Ice Cream Sandwich
From issue 5 of News From The Kitchen
Click ‘more’ for the recipe.
Ice Cream
2c cashews
1/2c coconut butter/oil
1/4c agave nectar
1 vanilla pod
1c almond milk*
1t lemon juice
1/2c tightly-packed fresh mint leaves
- Scrape the inside of the vanilla pod, and discard the outer part. Alternatively, you can leave the outer part in water to infuse, making ‘vanilla water’.
- Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.
- Pour mixture into 4, round, equal-sized moulds and place in the freezer to set. I used metal rings with plastic film stretched over the base of them.
Florentines
1/2c cashews
3T cacao powder
1/4c melted cacao butter
1/2t lemon juice
3T agave nectar
1/4c almond milk
1/4c cacao nibs
1/2c pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
- Blend all ingredients, with the exception of the cacao nibs and pistachio nuts, in a high speed blender until smooth.
- Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in the cacao nibs and pistachios.
- Use a spoon to form 8 Florentines (circles as big as the ice cream moulds you used) on some non-stick paper and place in the freezer to set. If you haven’t got enough room in your freezer to lay them out flat, you can put them in the fridge first, until they are firm enough to stack up in the freezer.
Before Serving
- Remove the ice cream and Florentines from the freezer 1 - 2 hours before serving.
- Assemble the sandwiches with one Florentine on the bottom, and one on the top, of the ice cream that you removed from the moulds.
- Decorate the outside of the mint ice cream with some more chopped pistachio nuts.
* The almond milk you need for this recipe can be be made by blending 1c soaked almonds in 2c of pure water. You should then strain the mixture through a nut milk bag, or a sieve if you don’t have a nut milk bag.
Popularity: 40% [?]
Thank you for the recipe! Can’t wait to try it for Thanksgiving dessert! :D
Kali on / 16 November, 2007
Russell,
Your food always amazes me! It looks so yummy and you are so talented!
Would be great to borrow you for a week to uncook for my husband and me….wow, what a wonderful thought…. But then again I would be totally spoiled…he he!!!
Thanks for sharing!
Pam
Ohio
Pam on / 16 November, 2007
Russell,
After I took one look at this recipe in your newsletter, I immediately called Justin and told him to go to the nearest computer and see what you had just created.
It is such a beautiful photo. And the recipe looks delicious as well!
Well done, fellow foodie!
~ Heidi
Heidi on / 17 November, 2007
Absolutely genius! And I love the vanilla water idea. It’s like using the whole buffalo, raw vegan-style. As always, a food photo that makes me weep just a little with it’s beauty. Lovely!
-Tanja
Tanja on / 17 November, 2007
The beautiful green color of the ice cream is so vivid and beautiful! It’s solely from the mint leaves? They don’t turn brown?
Just want to make sure I get everything right for Thanksgiving day!
Thank you Russell!
Kali on / 17 November, 2007
This is gorgeous! I can’t wait to try it and share it with my family on Thursday! Thank you so much for sharing your creations with us…
Rose on / 20 November, 2007
This looks awesome! Where do you buy your raw cacao butter?
They don’t sell it in any stores in my area.
Judy on / 20 November, 2007
Also, where are you finding raw almonds nowadays, now that the USDA has banned their sale?
Judy on / 20 November, 2007
[…] Why is it that when raw-food health gurus go on national television, talking about all the wonderful soups, rich entrees, and magical desserts you can have on a raw food diet, so often they end up handing over to the excited and anticipating host a glass full of green glop? (see video here, and here for examples) The green smoothie; almost invariably it’s met with a nervous stare, and followed promptly by an ick face upon tasting. We could make Cacao Pistachio Florentine, Portobello Burgers, or Curried Chocolate Pudding, but instead, in a moment of mindless passion, we make green smoothies. I say we because we at Freshtopia too have made this mistake. Check out first Green Smoothie episode here, and check out our old-timey stylings. […]
Freshtopia.net » Blog Archive » Green Smoothie 2.0 on / 20 November, 2007
Hi Judy, Cacao butter can be bought online from a variety of places, just ‘Google’ it :-)
As for the almonds, I’m not sure about the US. Fortunately where I am, in the UK, we can still get them unpasteurised. Maybe someone reading this can help?
Russell James on / 20 November, 2007
I tried this recipe today and it’s just great! This is the first proper ‘desert’ I have made since incorporating large amounts of raw food into my diet. I do have to get over the fact that its hugely fat based when I eat it though, I guess I’m still programmed by all the false hype about how good ‘fat-free’ produce is. It’s not Coconut or Cashew fat that gets us in trouble, its dead rubbish like pizza, chips and bread that puffs us up!
Nice recipe, amazing taste!
Spewy on / 20 November, 2007
Kali, the recipe used was photographed as you see it, so the colour is just from the mint and won’t turn brown.
Russell James on / 25 November, 2007
Hi Russell,
Is there something that I can substitute in place of the cacao butter used in the florentines?
Thank you for your time & recipe! :)
From Russell: Hi Stacy, you could just leave it out and then dehydrate the florentines.
Stacy on / 19 December, 2007
This looks stunning! Thank you for sharing such a great recipe & photo :)
Lynda on / 2 January, 2008
i’m so glad i found out about this site. i’m new to the raw vegan lifestyle and strongly want to make it my lifestyle. Day 6 or being RAW for the 30 day challenge.
looks good!
JUNE HAYNES on / 8 January, 2008
Hi Russell,
I’m new to your blog and was immediately taken by the absolutely beautiful food. I’ve been vegan for 13 years - never completely raw, but of course as a vegan I eat raw food often.
I just tried this recipe. My first thought when mixing the “ice cream” in the blender was “wow, this is all fat. Ok, let’s give it a try.” Instead of chilling it in the freezer, I ran it through my ice cream machine. I have to say that it really tasted like pure fat - tasty, but it was like eating pure butter. Can this possibly be healthier than eating a fruit sweetened non-dairy dessert? Here in the states we have a great product called Soy Delicious (organic, soy based, fruit sweetened options). It’s great and has very little fat. Sorry, but this was way too fatty for my taste. Also, in response to an above comment, my food co-op (in Massachusetts) sells raw almonds.
Best,
D
Derek on / 12 March, 2008
This is for Judy who was looking for raw almonds…I don’t know what part of the US you’re in, but in the Northeast between NY and DC, raw almonds are perfectly legal at Whole Foods supermarkets or Trader Joe’s discount markets, or online. Needless to say they are 2-3x more expensive at Whole Foods than Trader Joe’s. Good hunting.
Alex on / 24 March, 2008
Ohhh my goodness your recipes are so divine. Thank you.
BTW I get my raw almonds from http://www.almonds-from-california.com/cgi-bin/ppcart/ppcart.pl?cat&californiaalmonds
The US passed a law recently that almonds from California have to be either treated chemically or heat treated before they leave the state. This is the only source I’ve found that does not do that. The ones you get in the stores that say raw are really heat treated. See the small print at the store.
Thank you again for such a great recipe
Lisa Erwin Dallas Texas on / 25 March, 2008
just found your website..
what an eye pleasing ..
gonna try this..will surely be the ‘hitting target’ for my ‘green’ son
have a greAT day
ninoZ on / 24 April, 2008
I came cross your website today, and those pictures are so yummmmy ;) I can’t wait to try…would love to attend your classes one day :)
wen on / 5 May, 2008