Blackcurrant coconut ice blocks recipe

I made these ice blocks using antioxidant- and omega 3-rich blackcurrants which have a slightly tart flavour, lending itself to more of a grown-up flavoured pop. That said my 2-year-old loves them! You can use different berries or fruits that your family loves. Black Doris plums are in season and would taste amazing next to the coconut in these ice blocks.

In this recipe you will make your own coconut milk – it’s so easy it’s ridiculous so please give it a go, it’s one of my favourite cheap and easy things to make. I use it as you would any milk and even use it for making curries – you can replace your tins for freshly homemade coconut milk! But if making your own milk (as well as opening a coconut) is a barrier to you trying this recipe, you can always buy some organic coconut cream to use instead – replace the coconut milk and fresh young coconut with 3 cups of coconut cream and increase the amount of sweetener to taste.

Blackcurrant layer

2 cups Blackcurrants, defrosted
¼ cup Water
1½ Tbsp Chia seeds
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 Tbsp Raw coconut nectar, this can be replaced with raw honey or one medjool date

Coconut layer

1 cup Dried coconut, soaked in 2 cups hot water for 1-2 hours
1 Coconut, a young one - it should be a light brown and white colour
1½ Tbsp Raw coconut nectar, or use raw honey
1 tsp Vanilla
3 Tbsp Coconut yoghurt

Directions

1. Place all the blackcurrant layer ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour 1 generous tablespoon of the mixture into the ice pop mould.

2. For the coconut layer, soak the dried coconut in hot water for 1-2 hours, place the coconut and the soak water in a blender and blend well for around 1 minute, strain through a piece of muslin cloth or a nut milk bag. Place the milk in a bowl and discard the fibre.

3. Open the young coconut using the heel of a heavy knife or a small kitchen axe (it’s just a small axe from the hardware store that I keep in the kitchen) by making an opening around the crown of the coconut. Once you have an opening, strain the coconut water off into a bowl and then finish hacking away at your coconut to get it open. Once you’re there, take a spoon and using the back of the spoon release the flesh from the shell then scoop it all out (I have a video in my recipe app The Unbakery for coconut yoghurt that shows me opening one if you want a visual). Give the flesh a rinse and scrape off any shell that has stuck to it, using a sharp knife.

4. Place everything, the coconut milk you made, coconut water, coconut flesh and remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth.

5. Freeze until firm – this should take around 6 hours, depending on your freezer and size of your ice block mould. We generally leave them overnight. Will store in the freezer for around 1 month until they start losing their lustre.

(Makes 10)

Recipe by Megan May

Source: Bite