This vegan spin on the classic favorite Neapolitan Ice Cream (aka. Harlequin ice cream) will be one of your new go-to ice cream recipes for summer.
It's a delicious 3 flavor ice cream with layers of strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate which are stacked to form a beautiful layered frozen dessert.
What's even more fun, is this ice cream has a double use and can be scooped or sliced and served between wafers as Neapolitan ice cream sandwiches.
The recipe card only is sponsored by Nature’s Charm. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands who sponsor my work!
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📖 Recipe Overview
- Easy To Make - This no-churn ice cream recipe doesn't require any special equipment, you can even upcycle your old juice or milk carton instead of using a loaf pan or baking tin!
- Incredibly Versatile - You can make it as an ice cream block, serve as an ice cream sandwich between wafers, or scoop it into cones or bowls. There are also endless Neapolitan ice cream flavors to choose from.
- Allergy-Friendly - Made without dairy, eggs, or nuts, it's also refined sugar-free, and the ice cream itself is gluten-free and keto-friendly without wafers.
- No Artificial Flavor Or Color - Made with natural flavors and no strawberry extract.
If you're a fan of Italian ice creams, try my pistachio ice cream and vegan tiramisu ice cream from my cookbook!
🧾 Ingredients Needed
You just need 8 ingredients to make this simple Naples ice cream recipe. Here's what to grab:
Ingredient Notes
- Vegan Condensed Milk - I use Nature's Charm sugar-free condensed coconut milk but feel free to use regular vegan condensed milk depending on your dietary preferences.
- Coconut Cream - This forms the base of the ice cream recipe, which traditionally would be made using dairy cream. Again, I'm using Nature's Charm coconut whipping cream, but oat cream will also work.
- Strawberry Jam - Opt for a sugar-free jam to keep the ice cream keto. Jam has a more concentrated strawberry flavor as opposed to just using pureed strawberries.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries - Although these give the ice cream an added kick of color and flavor, you can easily replace them with a couple more tablespoons of berry jam.
- Vodka - This is optional but I highly recommend it. Alcohol lowers the freezing point of ice cream and hence, helps prevent ice cream from freezing rock solid and lowers the risk of ice crystals. If you want to keep it alcohol-free, rice malt syrup will also work - bearing in mind the recipe will no longer be keto.
- Espresso - This enhances the chocolate flavor of the cocoa powder. You can opt for raw cacao powder which has a slightly bitter taste, or Dutch-processed cocoa which has a richer dark chocolate flavor and color.
🥣 How To Make Neapolitan Ice Cream
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
You're just a few simple steps away from serving delicious Neapolitan homemade ice cream. Here's how it is done:
Step 1: Prepare. Start by preparing your ice cream vessel. Cut a line into the center of a milk or juice carton so that one side is open. You can also use a terrine tin or 8-inch loaf pan lined with a parchment paper sling - the choice is yours!
Step 2: Make the ice cream base. Using an electric whisk or regular whisk, whip the coconut cream until light and fluffy. Add in the vegan condensed milk and beat the mixture for about 10-20 seconds until combined.
Step 3: Make strawberry ice cream. Separate the ice cream mixture into 3 parts. To one part, add the strawberry jam and freeze-dried berries, and whisk to combine.
Step 4: Whisk espresso and cocoa. Add the espresso to the cocoa powder and whisk into a rough paste.
Step 5: Continue making chocolate ice cream. Slowly combine the cocoa espresso paste with the second reserved part of the ice cream base.
Step 6: Make vanilla ice cream. To the last third of the ice cream, add a good squeeze of vanilla bean paste. Vanilla extract will do as well, as long as it's good quality.
Step 7: Strawberry ice cream layer. Pour the strawberry ice cream into the ice cream carton in an even layer. Place it in the freezer to set for one hour until the top of the ice cream is firm to the touch.
Step 8: Vanilla ice cream layer. Add the vanilla-flavored ice cream on top of the set strawberry layer and freeze for another hour until set.
Step 9: Chocolate ice cream layer. Lastly, repeat this with the chocolate-flavored ice cream, this time allowing it to freeze for 4 hours until completely solid.
Step 10: Decorate. Carefully remove the ice cream block from the carton by cutting off the sides. If you're using a loaf pan, just lift it out with the overhang of parchment. Decorate the ice cream with berries and chocolate and slice to serve - or sandwich the slices between two wafers and enjoy!
🍓 Optional Variations
There is plenty of room to adapt this vegan Neapolitan ice cream to your taste and dietary preferences:
- Switch The Flavors - Although the most popular is a vanilla chocolate strawberry ice cream combination, there's no hard and fast rule of what flavors to include. If you like to live on the wild side you could try any combination of Lemon, Banana, Mango, Peanut Butter, Rum Raisin, Raspberry, or Mint, to name but a few!
- Neapolitan Popsicles - Divide the ice cream into molds for gorgeous tri-color ice cream bars. I recommend piping the ice cream rather than using a spoon to get nice even layers.
- Neapolitan Sundaes - Scoop the ice cream into a bowl or serving glass with caramel or chocolate sauce, strawberry coulis, and some dairy-free whipped cream topped with a maraschino cherry.
📝 Recipe Tips
Place your loaf pan or ice cream carton on a baking tray so that it's easier to transport it to and from the freezer without disrupting the layers of ice cream that haven't set.
Use a heated sharp knife to slice the ice cream. Simply dip the knife in a jug of boiled water and wipe dry with some kitchen towels before each slice. Cut slowly, allowing the heat and sharpness of the knife to do the work for you!
To serve it as a Neapolitan ice cream cake, place the ice cream block on a serving board lined with parchment paper. Simply decorate the top with some vegan whipped cream or coconut cream, fresh strawberries, chocolate shavings, and chocolate squares, just before serving.
💬 FAQs
Hailing from the province of Naples in Italy, traditional Neapolitan ice cream is said to have resembled the Italian flag colors with flavors of pistachio (green), vanilla (white), and cherry (pink/red).
Absolutely! Although, this completely depends on the recipe in question. Ice cream made with sweetened condensed milk (vegan or otherwise) is often designed to be made without an ice cream maker.
Condensed coconut milk is thicker and more concentrated and syrupy than regular coconut milk. This in combination with whipped coconut cream helps to create a creamy ice cream base, without the need for an ice cream machine.
Keep the ice cream in the freezer stored in an airtight container, or by wrapping the carton tightly with plastic wrap. It will keep for 2-3 weeks.
If using wafers, I'd advise not to freeze them as they can become soft when frozen - instead, add wafers just before serving.
🍨 More Vegan Ice Cream
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📖 Recipe
Description
Ingredients
- 400 ml (13.5 oz) coconut whipping cream, I use Nature's Charm
- 320 g (11.25 oz) sweetened condensed coconut milk (sugar-free), I use Nature's Charm *see notes
- 4 teaspoons vodka
- 120 g (⅓ cup) sugar-free strawberry jam, or regular jam
- 2 teaspoons freeze-dried strawberries
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) espresso
- 10 g (2 tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
- vegan wafers, optional, to serve *see notes
Instructions
- Prepare: Start by preparing your ice cream vessel. Cut a line into the center of a milk or juice carton so that one side is open. You can also use a terrine tin or 8-inch loaf pan lined with a parchment paper sling - the choice is yours!
- Make the ice cream base: Add the coconut whipping cream to a large mixing bowl and use an electric whisk or regular whisk to whip it for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy. Whisk in the vegan condensed milk until combined. Separate the ice cream base mixture into 3 parts.
- Strawberry ice cream: To one part of the ice cream base, add the strawberry jam and freeze-dried berries, and whisk to combine.
- Chocolate ice cream: Add the cocoa powder and espresso to a separate bowl and whisk to a lumpy paste.Slowly add in the second part of the ice cream base mixture, whisking it in a tablespoon at a time until combined.
- Vanilla ice cream: To the last part of the ice cream base mixture, add the vanilla bean paste and whisk to combine.
- Assembly: Pour the strawberry ice cream into the ice cream carton in an even layer. Place it in the freezer to set for one hour until the top of the ice cream is firm to the touch.Add the vanilla-flavored ice cream on top of the set strawberry layer and freeze for another hour until set.Lastly, repeat this with the chocolate-flavored ice cream, this time allowing it to freeze for 4 hours until completely solid.
- Decorate: Carefully remove the ice cream block from the carton by cutting off the sides. If you're using a loaf pan, just lift it out with the overhang of parchment. Decorate the ice cream with berries and chocolate and slice with a heated sharp knife to serve - or sandwich the slices between two wafers and enjoy!
- Storage: Keep the ice cream in the freezer stored in an airtight container, or by wrapping the carton tightly with plastic wrap. It will keep for 2-3 weeks.If using wafers, I'd advise not to freeze them as they can become soft - instead, slice and add wafers just before serving.
Notes
- Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk - Use the sugar-free version to keep the recipe keto and refined sugar-free.
- Vegan Wafers - These are available in most large supermarkets on the ice cream aisle - just check the label to make sure. Omit the wafers if you want to make the recipe keto-friendly.
Nutrition
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