gluten free low carb ICE CREAM!!!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!!! Ice cream is my weakness. I love it! Of course it's usually gluten free.. but low-carb? Hardly! I got an ice cream maker- one of those kind where you freeze the bowl, fill it up and then just turn it on for 20 minutes. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Especially since I am now going to give you a great recipe!!
Of course to make this healthy, you'll want to use raw milk and cream. Definitely use fresh organic eggs- pastured if you can find them... they will be used raw in this recipe. If right now, you are eyeing your store bought organic eggs and wondering if they are fresh enough- here is a link on How to Tell If Your Eggs are Fresh. But really, once you can get your hands on fresh pastured eggs, you will never want to go back to anything else.
For GFCF people, try this with coconut milk- it has about the same consistency of 2/3 cream, 1/3 milk, so I think it could work. Let me know...
My Deni ice cream maker has this little removable plastic top in the cover, so I used that to pour in the chocolate to make a ribbon. If you don't have that, for instance if you are making ice cream in an ice cream ball (want mine?), then you can instead make chocolate chips, and add them in the end.
TIP: Do not substitute erythritol for xylitol in this recipe. It is DISGUSTING. Believe me, I had to toss a lot of expensive raw organic ingredients when I tried it. Horrible. You can sub agave nectar, or honey (use 1/3 less) although it will add a lot of carbs to this recipe.  You can sub more stevia (1/4 level teaspoon good tasting stevia  or 1/2 teaspoon NuNaturals Powdered Stevia) but it may harden strangely in the freezer, use the vodka trick (haven't tried it with all stevia ice cream yet).

2011 TIPS: you can add vodka to this recipe to keep it from hardening too much in the freezer.  About 1.5 teaspoons will do it.
Uh, if you are pregnant, sub for xylitol. My baby kicked me a LOT so I had to swear off the xylitol! I wonder if it is too strong for him, I feel bad. :( oops!


VARIATIONS: Sweet Cream Ice cream: reduce vanilla to one teaspoon and omit the chocolate.
Mint Chocolate Chip: reduce vanilla to one teaspoon and add a few drops of peppermint oil to taste.  I used Young Living Oils brand- 3 drops.

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
makes one quart

2 large pastured organic eggs
1/4 level teaspoon good tasting stevia (1/2 teaspoon NuNaturals Powdered Stevia)
1/2 cup of xylitol (or sub)
2 cups raw organic cream
1 cup raw organic milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 to 2/3rds of a 3.5 ounce 85% chocolate bar. I like Green & Black- it's organic & low-carb

If you are using an ice cream maker like mine, make sure it's been in the freezer for over 24 hours, longer if possible. You want to make sure it is really really frozen.

In a large metal bowl, whisk the eggs 1 - 2 minutes, until frothy. Add stevia and xylitol and whisk until blended. Add cream, milk and vanillaand mix well.  Cover and cool in fridge for 2 hours (important).  A metal bowl (preferred) or glass bowl helps cool faster. You'll need this to be very cold to come out creamy in your ice cream maker.

Prepare the ribbon (or chop your chips if you can't make a ribbon): Put water in the bottom of your double boiler (read this post if you don't have one), making sure the inside of the top pot is absolutely dry. Boil the water on low, then either turn your stove top off, or on very very low. Break the pieces of chocolate into the bowl and stir with a rubber spatula to melt. As soon as fully melted, take the top off the water and heat and put aside to cool down.

Assemble ice cream maker and pour in vanilla ice cream mix. Turn on, and set your timer for 15 minutes. After 15-20 minutes, when the ice cream is frozen in a soft serve consistency, add or chips and mix in or add a chocolate ribbon. Ribbon: While the ice cream is turning inside, pour the melted chocolate in a small tiny stream slowly into the ice cream, sopping and starting often. Go slowly. It's probably still pretty warm... and you don't want to make large chunks which could stop your ice cream from churning (this happened to me- I had to remove the ice cream, reposition the inside churner and pour it back in). Best method is dribbling it in. Make sure you don't overfill the ice cream maker. Let it keep churning for 10 more minutes or so (you have just heated the ice cream a little), then transfer into freezer to harden. VOILA!

Remember, portion control! If you are not used to xylitol, eating too much can have a laxative effect. (ack!) So go easy. I believe you will be safe with 1-2 scoops. :)
Now, see this post to win a free giveaway of Green & Black Organic 85% chocolate bar!!