Homemade ice cream can be made at home dairy-free and into Neapolitan ice cream flavors… with coconut cream that’s the thicker milky cream of a coconut. That way it’s more healthy than heavy cream that’s in most ice cream recipes. You can make yours with less cholesterol and less fat and save your calories. And even add a waffle, cone, or cherry ontop and still come out ahead.
You don’t just have to use just egg yolks or heavy cream to make ice cream (anymore!).
…So I was inspired to make a Neapolitan dairy-free ice cream version that you can especially love if you love the taste of coconut as it uses coconut cream and dates for the thickener.
The coconut flavors bring out the Neapolitan classic flavors. It’s an international ice cream.
And you’ll know it’s homemade and not an ice cream carton you bought at your local grocery store.
You’d be leaning into the hot tropical vibe tastes. 🥥
And the classic three flavors of Neapolitan ice cream mixed with those twists.
Neapolitan homemade ice cream has 3 of the most popular ice cream flavors all in one: strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla.
Which is your favorite? Or do you like them all combined, like in a Neapolitan?
It’s the cosmopolitan ice cream because it originated from Spumoni ice cream that comes from Naples. Italy with pistachio, chocolate, and cherry.
Vanilla is the starting base flavor. Then you add strawberry or chocolate to make the other flavors.
Both Neapolitan and Spumoni ice creams have chocolate. 🇮🇹
Spumoni is lesser known in the U.S. but has a National Day named after it.
You can also try your hand at a spumoni ice cream recipe that’s also more like Italian soft gelateria style, and learn more about the exotic flavor twist story.
And Neapolitan ice cream can also be celebrated on August 21 (or any day you like!).
For the Neapolitan chocolate flavor made from a vanilla base, you can also do an egg yolk method for chocolate ice cream recipe if you prefer a pure chocolate taste over coconut-chocolate.
And with your Neapolitan homemade ice cream, you can slather on a brunch waffle if you choose. That way, the ice cream will melt in the waffle squares 🧇 and you lose no ice cream like in a bowl with a spoon or a dripping cone… and enjoy every last bit.
For the Neapolitan and any ice cream, an ice cream machine is better to make your life easier as it helps set the ice cream faster before freezing.
But you can do without one if you don’t have one.
Ice cream can be made without any equipment. 🍨 Frozen desserts are hard to mess up as as they can get gobbled up before they melt!
Like this melting Neapolitan ice cream…
The little chunks are chopped dates that help the texture and the sweetness.
And if you can get enough of the Neapolitan, you can also try your hand at home with a Neapolitan pizza. They share the same cosmopolitan first name. 😊
For low-sugar waffle ideas to pair with your ice cream, find your favorite waffle recipe with or without eggs.
Dairy-Free Homemade Ice Cream Base For Neapolitan Ice Cream (Coconut Cream)
Equipment
- ice cream maker
Ingredients
- 1 15 ounce cream of coconut can (use solid coconut portions that will be about half the can)
- ½ cup frozen strawberries, de-thawed
- cocoa, unsweetened
- 4 dates, chopped (about 4 per 15 ounce can)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Divide cream of coconut into 3 separate bowls for the 3 flavors. Optional: for any of the flavors, if you don't want a strong coconut taste, then add a little milk and more vanilla extract (under 1/4 cup as it will change the texture)
- Start with the vanilla base in one bowl adding in extract and dates.
- For the strawberry flavor: Add strawberry juice from mashed dethawed frozen strawberries and add to one of the other coconut bowls. Hand combine in bowl or use a a blender for finer strawberry pieces.
- For the chocolate bowl, add cocoa to another coconut bowl. Add until you get the chocolate ice cream color (or use the egg yolk method). Start with a tablespoon.
- Chill the bowls for half an hour or longer.
- Add each individually to the ice cream maker if using one. Start with the white so the color doesn't bleed. Then do the strawberry and then chocolate (darkest color). Add ontop of your dessert waffle if you like!