Coconut cinnamon ice cream, orange ginger crumble and persimmon jelly

This dessert was born from some leftover young coconut, a few very ripe persimmons and a piece of fresh ginger. The ice cream, scented with cinnamon and vanilla, owes its creaminess to Irish moss, a seaweed that replaces cream without any dairy at all. On top, a raw orange and ginger crumble adds crunch, and the melting flesh of the persimmon acts as a jelly. It takes a little organisation, but every element can be prepared ahead, and it never fails to impress at the table.

Ingredients

For the Irish moss gel

• 180 ml cooled chaga or reishi tea (or 180 ml filtered and hydrogenated water)
• 55 g soaked Irish moss

For the cinnamon ice cream

• 625 ml coconut water
• 120 g young coconut flesh
• 60 ml Irish moss gel
• 3 to 4 tablespoons runny honey
• 8 drops of stevia
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon mesquite powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil

For the orange ginger crumble

• 40 g coconut flakes
• 3 tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts
• 3 drops of food-grade orange essential oil
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger (or the equivalent in raw ginger)
• 1 teaspoon unwaxed orange zest
• 2 drops of stevia
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 pinch of salt (or the equivalent of 1 tablespoon - 15 ml - of seawater)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

For the persimmon jelly

• 2 very ripe persimmons, almost overripe

Method

The Irish moss gel (the day before)

1. Rinse the Irish moss in cold water until the water runs clear, then leave it to soak for 6 to 12 hours.
2. Chop it roughly and blend it for a long time with the tea or the water, until you get a smooth, gel-like mixture.
3. Keep it in the fridge: the gel firms up as it cools and keeps for 5 to 7 days.

The ice cream

1. Blend all the ice cream ingredients except the coconut oil until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the coconut oil and blend again to incorporate it well.
3. Chill the mixture for 4 to 6 hours, or even overnight.
4. Churn it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, or freeze it in the tub of your ice cream machine.

The crumble and the jelly

1. Mix all the crumble ingredients, adding the coconut oil last.
2. Spread the mixture on a plate and chill until firm, then break it into small pieces.
3. For the jelly, scoop out the persimmon flesh with a spoon and chop it finely: when very ripe, it naturally has the consistency of a jelly.
4. Serve the ice cream in scoops, sprinkled with crumble and with a spoonful of persimmon jelly on the side.

Tip

No Irish moss? A little diluted agar-agar can take over for the setting effect, although the texture will be slightly different. Outside persimmon season, replace the jelly with orange segments or a few clementine wedges. The crumble keeps for a week in a jar in the fridge: double the quantities, it is just as delicious on a bowl of fresh fruit.

For perfect ice cream every time: with the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe ice cream maker, there is no more stirring every hour or keeping an eye on it in the freezer. You freeze the mixture in its tub, choose the programme (ice cream, sorbet, gelato or granita), and within minutes the machine gives you a creamy, smooth texture with no ice crystals. It is the appliance we adopted this summer for our plant-based ice creams.

FAQ: your questions about the coconut cinnamon ice cream and its persimmon jelly