Dairy Free Ice Cream & Ice Pops

Do you have one scent or flavour that instantly reminds you of that perfect summer feeling?

For me, as soon as I get a whiff of vanilla I'm right there... nine years old, hot and sweaty from running up and down the street in my dungarees, slathered in sun cream and sat on the edge of the pavement eating a Mini Milk. Perfection.

As the recent muggy weather has left me feeling just as hot and bothered as my nine-year-old self, I thought it was about time I whipped up a few of my own, slightly healthier, ice-cream recipes!

Even though I've made sure these recipes are both gluten and dairy free, I certainly haven't scrimped on the flavour here! Coconut and Almond milk substitutes create an absolutely delish, naturally sweet alternative to regular dairy ice cream and I find these icy numbers to be a much fresher and less sugary-sweet version of the summer treats we all enjoy :)      


Anyway, here's how to make them for yourself, if you want to have a go...

Almond Butter Ice Cream 

A deliciously creamy and curiously speckled alternative to the classic Peanut Butter dairy treat. Recipe slightly adapted from this one. 

You will need: 

- 1 1/2 cups almond milk

- 1 cup pitted dates

- 1 cup crunchy almond butter
   (I found crunchy almond butter added a really nice
    texture to the ice-cream but feel free to use smooth if you prefer!)

- 1 tsp. salt

- 1 tsp. almond extract

- 1 tsp. vanilla extract

- a handful of almonds

- Propercorn Smooth Peanut & Almond popcorn (to garnish!)

And to make this creamy goodness:

1. Whack all the ingredients (apart from the popcorn!) into a blender or smoothie maker and blitz until the mixture is smooth. You might still see little black dots of dates at this point- don't worry, it's a speckled ice cream! 

2. Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container and sprinkle a few almonds over the top. Cover and place in the freezer for 6 hours, or overnight. 

3. Before serving, be sure to let the ice-cream thaw out a little... otherwise it won't scoop very well! Sprinkle with some crunchy popcorn (and a little drizzle of peanut butter topping if you're feeling naughty) and enjoy!

Yum! This creamy concoction is certainly a people pleaser :) Serve with fresh almond milkshakes for the perfect nutty combination! 

Now to shake them coconuts...

Coconut and Lime Mojito Ice Pops

A fresh, icy and alcohol-free take on the classic Mojito cocktail. Recipe slightly adapted from this one. 

You will need:

- a can of coconut milk
- 1/4 cup of maple syrup
- 1/4 mint leaves
- zest of one lime
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- 1 vanilla pod
- Propercorn Sweet Coconut & Vanilla popcorn

Let's get cracking with these:

1. Pop the coconut milk, maple syrup, mint, lime juice and lime zest into a small saucepan. Split the vanilla pod in half and scrape out the seeds. Add both the seeds and the pod to the mix in the saucepan. Set the pan on a medium heat, keep stirring the mixture until everything is combined and the liquid is warm. After 2-4 minutes, remove from the heat and set aside for half an hour. (This allows the milk to become infused with all the flavours!)

2. Sieve the mixture into a jug (to remove the mint leaves and vanilla pod) and leave to cool off for a second. Sprinkle a few pieces of popcorn into your lolly moulds and then pour the cooled mixture over the top.

3. Freeze for 5-6 hours, or overnight. When you come to take the ice pops from their moulds, run them under a warm tap for a few seconds and then give them a good wiggle before attempting to pull them out! The pops will be quite squidgy (I learnt this the hard way!) so just be a little cautious :)

And there you have it! Ready to try in time for Summer!

Both of these recipes make for a flavour combo made in heaven when paired with a couple of packets of Propercorn's latest and tastiest snacks. If you love experimenting with different tastes and textures as much as I do, go ahead and pop along to Propercorn's wonderfully-named Institute of Flavour and have a go at making your very own signature seasoning! If it's scrummy enough, you might even get the chance to be the designated taste-maker for a new, limited edition seasoning...Good Luck!


Here's to a tasty summer :) Do you have any killer hot-weather recipes you get out at this time of year? I'd love to hear them in the comments below!


In the meantime,
All the love,

Sian x


Ps. If you're curious as to all the lovely props used in this post... Here's the serving board, the milk bottles, the paper straws, the napkins and the re-used Pots & Co ramekins. There'll be plenty more on my favourite summer party pieces coming soon on the blog, so be sure to keep a lookout :)