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I was delightfully surprised to discover that this simple low calorie chocolate gelato—that’s dairy-free and made with lite coconut milk—tastes just like the chocolate Fudgsicle fudge pops I enjoyed in my childhood.
Related Content: WW Frozen Food Favorites
Did you know that according to the USDA, ice cream must consist of at least 10% milk fat?
Gelato, on the other hand, contains less milk fat and generally has a softer, yet more dense, texture as compared with traditional ice cream.
Needless to say this is not a traditional recipe for gelato. But it is fun to make and delicious to eat—especially for those of us who are sensitive to dairy.
How Many Calories and WW Points in Dairy-Free Chocolate Gelato?
According to my calculations, each serving has 182 calories.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
10 SmartPoints (Green plan)
10 SmartPoints (Blue plan)
10 SmartPoints (Purple plan)
5 PointsPlus (Old plan)
How to Make Dairy-Free Chocolate Gelato Step-by-Step
Step 1: Gather and prepare all ingredients.
Step 2: Whisk the cocoa powder, 2/3 cup of the coconut milk and vanilla in a large mixing bowl (affiliate link) until thoroughly combined. Mixture will be smooth, creamy and thick.
Step 3: In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the remaining coconut milk, agave nectar, cornstarch and salt. Stir occasionally while bringing mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat and continuously whisk until mixture thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes more.
Step 4: Pour heated mixture over cocoa mixture and
thoroughly whisk until well blended and cream.
Cover bowl and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours.
Step 5: Once well chilled, pour mixture into electric ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.
Step 6: Pour or scoop gelato into an airtight container and
freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
Step 7: As it hardens, you may need to remove gelato from the freezer and thaw slightly before scooping.
Recipe Notes
Ice cream maker processing times may vary. I have an older Cuisinart ICE-20 (affiliate link) automatic frozen yogurt, ice cream and sorbet maker and it took about 25 minutes to process. Don’t forget to thoroughly freeze your bowl ahead of time.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy your gelato plain, topped with chopped nuts, fresh fruit or a dollop of light whipped topping. Just remember to add the points for those extras.
If you’ve made this Dairy Free Gelato, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Dairy-Free Chocolate Gelato
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
- 2 cans (14 ounces each) light coconut milk, divided
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup agave nectar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Whisk the cocoa powder, 2/3 cup of the coconut milk and vanilla in a large mixing bowl (affiliate link) until thoroughly combined. Mixture will be smooth, creamy and thick.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the remaining coconut milk, agave nectar, cornstarch and salt. Stir occasionally while bringing mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat and continuously whisk until mixture thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Pour heated mixture over cocoa mixture and thoroughly whisk until well blended and creamy. Cover bowl and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours.
- Once well chilled, pour mixture into electric ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.
- Pour or scoop gelato into an airtight container and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
- As it hardens, you may need to remove gelato from the freezer and thaw slightly before scooping.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 10 SmartPoints (Green plan) 10 SmartPoints (Blue plan) 10 SmartPoints (Purple plan) 10 PointsPlus (Old plan) Ice cream maker processing times may vary. I have an older Cuisinart ICE-20 automatic frozen yogurt, ice cream and sorbet maker and it took about 25 minutes to process. Don’t forget to thoroughly freeze your bowl ahead of time.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe source: 5 Easy Steps to Healthy Cooking: 500 Recipes for Lifelong Wellness (affiliate link) by Camilla V. Saulsbury
