Caramel Walnut Vegan Ice Cream

Ingredients:

For the "butter" caramel:

• 250 g (1 1/2 cups) dried apricots
• 40 g (1/4 cup) pitted dates
• 30 g (1/3 cup) shredded coconut
• 40 g (1/3 cup) almonds
• pinch of salt

Method:

• 2 cups sugar (any kind will work)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• peel of 1/3 lemon
• peel of 1/5 orange
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves (optional)

Cake:

• 250 g vegan butter
• 250 g sugar (any kind will work)
• 250 g soy yogurt
• 500 g fine semolina
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)
• zest of 1/2 a lemon
• zest of 1/2 an orange
• juice of 1 lemon
• juice of 1 orange
• 1 tsp baking soda

Method:

1. Place all the syrup ingredients into a small pot, stir and bring to a boil.Bring down the heat to medium and let the syrup simmer for 5 minutes.Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat your oven to 180C (350 F).Preferably use the fan setting.If your oven does not have a fan setting you might bake your cake for an additional 5-7 minutes.
3. Place your butter and sugar into a bowl and beat with a hand mixer until fluffy (~4 minutes).Into the same bowl add your semolina, shredded coconut and soy yogurt and beat again.Lastly, add the lemon and orange zest and the lemon and orange juice with the baking soda poured into one of them (when you add the baking soda into the lemon or orange juice act quickly because the liquid gets foamy rapidly).Beat again until just incorporated.
4. Pour the mixture into a greased baking tray, flatten with a spatula and bake for ~45 minutes.After the time has elapsed test with a toothpick or a knife to see if your cake is ready.If the knife or toothpick comes out clean that means it is ready to get out of the oven.
5. When you get it out it of the oven and it is still hot, pour the cold syrup slowly and let it sit for at least 2 hours at room temperature so it soaks all the syrup.Cut in pieces and enjoy!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

• 1 cup cubed vegan margarine
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1-2 tbs water 

For the filling:

• 2 cups unsweetened soy milk (*see noted for sweetened one)
• 8 tbs agave syrup
• 4 tbs tapioca or corn starch
• 1 tsp agar agar powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Shift the flour and sugar into a bowl.Add the cubed cold margarine and mix lightly with your hands until the dough resembles breadcrumbs.Don't mix too much.Add 1 tbs water and mix with your hands until the dough comes together.It should take a while so don't be afraid and add more water.The dough shouldn't be sticky at all.If your dough doesn't seem to form a ball add 1 tbs more water.
2. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set it aside in the fridge to set for at least 1 hour.
3. Place a baking paper on a working surface and dust it with flour.Use a rolling pin to roll it out until 5mm thickness is achieved.Cut the dough into circles and place into the tart tins.Cut the excess.Form the excess dough into a ball and roll it out again.Repeat the process until almost all of the dough is used up.I had some left over that I made cookies with.
4. Cut baking paper into circles that are large enough to cover the interior of the tart tins (the sides too).
5. Place the baking paper circles into the tart tins and cover with some kind of weight.I use split peas, but feel free to use any legume or grain you have in hand.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 9'.Take them out and remove the weights as well as the baking paper.Bake again for 11'.Let the tarts cool down and then deform.
7. For the filling mix all of your ingredients into a pot.Place the pot on medium heat and whisk until the mixture thickens.Don't let it thicken too much because as it cools down, it will get even thicker.You want the cream to be pourable.
8. Pour the cream into the crust and set aside to allow it to set.Decorate with whatever fruit or nuts you desire.I find that strawberries, kiwi and pineapple are ideal.Enjoy!

• If you have sweetened soy milk, start with using half the amount of agave syrup and use your taste to adjust it to your liking by adding more.
• I made a healthier alternative to these, using spelt flour and coconut sugar for the crust.It worked out really well, so don't be afraid to experiment
• Be very careful with the water in your dough.You don't want to add too much because the dough will end up soft.

• 1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened) + more for rolling
• 1/4 cup oats
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 3 tbs agave syrup 
• zest of 1/2 small lemon
• 1 tbs lemon juice

Method: