Vegan Ice Cream by Jeff Rogers- A Book Review

There is no reason why those who avoid dairy should never enjoy the sweet and creamy deliciousness of ice cream. With that in mind, Jeff Rogers has created a wonderful book for vegans and those with dairy sensitivities. I will forewarn you that many of the recipes contain cashews. For those with nut allergies though, there are several options that are nut-free.

I tried out the Fresh Lemon recipe (page 53) and decided to soak the cashews prior to blending since I don't have a high-speed blender such as a VitaMix. For the first time, I created a beautiful, creamy vegan ice cream. Even though I didn't achieve perfection with the recipe, a quick rereading, showed me what I can improve the next time.

If, like me, you don't have a VitaMix-type blender, Rogers' suggestions on blending are priceless for avoiding the dreaded it-didn't-turn-out-so-I-have-to-throw-away-all-of-these-expensive-ingredients! Rogers' book offers several hints as to how to mimic the same smooth texture of dairy-laden ice cream. These are tricks that had eluded me, causing a lot of frustration in the past when I would make vegan ice cream. 

Rogers has several pages dedicated to "The Basics". These are the helpful hints that made churning optimal creaminess possible. I think this book would be a great tool for someone new to vegan recipes and also an old pro. I fall somewhere in between and felt like this read made me more confident and knowledgeable in regards to vegan staples and ingredients.

The photos are beautifully shot and definitely enticing. Until obtaining this book, I've never seen vegan ice cream like this...especially any made by me. I would contend that even store bought coconut, almond or rice milk brands don't compare. Besides, having control over all of the ingredients helps me avoid some of the nasty things that are still added to commercial "healthy" brands. And at sometimes over $5.00 a pint from my local grocery, an investment of roughly $10 for this book saves me at least that much by the time I've made my second quart of ice cream.

If you're a vegan, I don't think I could give this book any higher recommendation than Vegan Ice Cream: Over 90 Sinfully Delicious Dairy-Free Delights should be a staple on your recipe bookshelf.