Hot chocolate is my favorite hot winter beverage, espcecially when topped with vegan marshmallows or vegan whipped cream.  In fact, it is the only hot beverage I like. Summer is too hot for hot chocolate, but there is no reason you cannot enjoy the same chocolatey marshallowy goodness in the heat. You just need a cold form of it.  To solve this problem, I came up with a recipe for hot chocolate ice cream. To make cutting up the marshmallows easier, I suggest freezing them for a few minutes or using kitchen shears to cut them. You want them in 1/4 inch cubes.  If they are too big, they won’t distribute as well throughout the ice cream and they can freeze too hard to enjoy.  Put away your mug and grab a bowl, it’s ice cream time!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Time: 4 hours to soak cashews, and 2 hours to chill
Yield: 1 1/2 pints

Ingredients:

1 cup raw cashews (soaked at least 4 hours, drained and rinsed)
½ cup sugar + 2 TBL
¾ cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup hemp milk
5 TBL cocoa powder
½ cup diced marshmallows (we like Sweet & Sara vanilla)

Directions:

1.  Add sugar to a blender and process to make into a more powedery sugar.  Add cashews, water, and vanilla to the sugar.  Blend on high for 3 minute or until smooth.  Stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides.

3.  In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa and hemp milk.  Stir until smooth and there are no lumps of cocoa.  Add hemp milk and cocoa mixture to the blender. Blend another minute until smooth.

4.  Chill mixture in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before proceeding.

5.  Add chilled mixture to your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

6.  During last 3 minutes of time in the ice cream maker, add in the diced marshmallows.  Use a rubber spatula to help push them into the ice cream.

7.  When ice cream is done, transfer to a container, cover and put in the freezer for an hour to harden.

8.  Scoop into bowls and enjoy.