Frozen desserts are an essential summer pleasure. When temperatures rise, nothing is more refreshing than ice cream or a fruity sorbet. However, these desserts are often associated with animal-based ingredients or ultra-processed products. Fortunately, the vegan trend offers delicious alternatives that are just as indulgent and perfectly suited to a respectful lifestyle. Nice creams, primarily made from bananas, and quick sorbets, created with a simple blend of fresh or frozen fruits, are two types of vegan frozen desserts gaining popularity. In this article, you’ll discover how to prepare these frosty delights, how to vary the flavors, and tips for making desserts that are as healthy as they are tasty.

What is Nice Cream?

Nice cream is a very simple plant-based ice cream, often made from frozen bananas. Its name suggests a dessert that is not only frozen but also good for health and the planet. The term nice cream refers to ice cream while highlighting its kind and natural aspect. Thanks to the banana, the result is creamy and naturally sweet, without the need to add cream, milk, or eggs. In short, it’s a delicious alternative to industrial ice cream.

The Benefits of Frozen Bananas

Bananas naturally contain fibers and sugars that offer a thick texture once frozen and blended. The fibers also help stabilize the ice cream’s structure, eliminating the need for cream or other binders. Moreover, bananas are an excellent source of potassium, an essential mineral for our body’s proper functioning. They provide an easy-to-customize base for frozen desserts with various flavors.

Can It Be Made Without Bananas?

Some people don’t like the taste of bananas or are allergic to them. Fortunately, it’s entirely possible to replace bananas with other fiber-rich fruits like mango or avocado, or to combine fruits with a bit of thick plant-based milk like coconut milk. However, the original recipe remains banana-based, which is simpler and perfectly suited for a creamy texture.

Quick Sorbets: Fast Desserts with Frozen Fruits

Quick sorbets or “express sorbets” involve blending a mix of frozen fruits with a little liquid, maintaining the look and taste of a real sorbet. This technique doesn’t require an ice cream maker or prolonged freezing. Just use frozen fruits like berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries), mango, pineapple, or even watermelon. The key to success lies in quickly blending the frozen fruits with a hint of juice or plant-based drink until a smooth consistency is achieved. This type of dessert is perfect for those in a hurry.

Advantages of Quick Sorbet

1. Quick and convenient: simply blend already frozen fruits.
2. No fuss: no need for sophisticated equipment, a simple blender or food processor will do.
3. Light and refreshing: made only with fruits and possibly a light sweetener.
4. Customizable: you can add spices, herbs, or plant-based milks.

Basic Ingredients for Successful Vegan Frozen Desserts

Bananas

Very ripe bananas are the most popular base for nice cream. Spotting them is easy: the more brown spots on the peel, the sweeter the banana and the creamier the ice cream will be. It’s recommended to peel them before freezing in slices to facilitate later blending.

Various Frozen Fruits

For express sorbets, you have plenty of choices: strawberries, raspberries, currants, mango, pineapple, peaches, melon, etc. You can buy already frozen fruits or freeze fresh seasonal fruits yourself. Just make sure to cut them into pieces before freezing to save time.

Plant-Based Drinks

If you’re looking for a bit more creaminess or want a particular taste in your dessert, a few tablespoons of plant-based drink can transform the texture. Coconut milk, with its pronounced taste, adds creaminess. Almond milk, more neutral, pairs well with almost any fruit. Oat drink, very creamy, is another popular choice.

Natural Sweeteners

Ripe bananas naturally sweeten your dessert, often eliminating the need for an added sweetener. However, if you desire a sweeter flavor, opt for natural sweeteners like maple syrup, agave syrup, coconut sugar, or even pitted dates. The key is to dose gently and taste until the desired sweetness is achieved.

Enrichments and Aromatics

To vary the pleasures, feel free to add additional ingredients to the fruit base. For example:

• Unsweetened cocoa powder for chocolate nice cream.
• Peanut or almond butter for a gourmet and protein-rich touch.
• Vanilla, cinnamon, or cardamom for subtle flavoring.
• Fresh herbs like mint or basil to accompany certain fruits (e.g., watermelon-mint sorbet).

Preparing Nice Cream: Key Steps

1. Choose well-ripened bananas.
2. Peel them and cut them into slices.
3. Place the slices on a tray or in a freezer bag, avoiding overlap.
4. Freeze for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
5. Remove the bananas from the freezer and place them in a blender or food processor with other ingredients (cocoa, vanilla, spices, etc.).
6. Blend in pulses. Scrape the sides of the bowl several times to ensure a homogeneous mixture.
7. Serve immediately or store for a few days in the freezer in an airtight container.

Tip to Avoid Too Firm a Consistency

If you leave the nice cream in the freezer for too long, it may become very hard. To ease scooping, remove it from the freezer 10 to 15 minutes before serving. If you notice the preparation struggles to achieve the desired consistency, add a tablespoon of plant-based drink to soften it.

Nice Cream Recipes to Delight Everyone

Chocolate Nice Cream

• Base: 2 frozen ripe bananas
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
• A pinch of salt

Blend the bananas with cocoa and maple syrup. The salt enhances the chocolatey side. You’ll get a delicious ice cream. Add dark chocolate chips if you prefer an even more chocolatey touch.

Strawberry and Vanilla Nice Cream

• Base: 2 frozen ripe bananas
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons plant-based drink (optional)

This recipe will delight red fruit lovers. Strawberries bring a tangy note, and vanilla enhances the banana’s sweetness. Adjust the consistency by adding a bit of liquid if necessary.

Coconut and Pineapple Nice Cream

• Base: 2 frozen ripe bananas
• 1 cup frozen pineapple
• 2 to 3 tablespoons coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon shredded coconut

This dessert is a nod to the famous Piña Colada, without alcohol. Coconut milk enhances creaminess, while shredded coconut adds texture.

Peanut Butter Nice Cream

• Base: 2 frozen ripe bananas
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 to 2 pitted dates (optional)

Peanut butter makes this nice cream more substantial and protein-rich. Dates add a caramelized sweet taste that pairs wonderfully with peanuts. This recipe will appeal to athletes or those seeking a nourishing snack.

Preparing Quick Sorbet: Focus on Freshness

1. Choose your frozen fruits (berries, mango, raspberries, etc.).
2. Place them in a blender.
3. Add a bit of lemon juice or plant-based drink, depending on the desired consistency.
4. Blend briefly, scraping the sides occasionally.
5. Serve immediately to enjoy the slightly granulated texture.

Mango and Passion Quick Sorbet

• 1 cup frozen mango
• 1 passion fruit or equivalent in passion puree
• 1 tablespoon agave syrup
• A few mint leaves for the final touch

Once blended, this sorbet directly evokes the islands, with its bright color and tangy taste. Mango softens the passion’s acidity, creating a pleasant balance.

Red Fruits and Basil Quick Sorbet

• 1 cup frozen red fruits
• A few fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

Basil may seem surprising at first, but it pairs very well with red fruits. Its fragrance highlights the raspberries’ acidity and the strawberries’ sweetness, offering an original sorbet.

Watermelon and Lime Quick Sorbet

• 1 cup frozen watermelon
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or agave syrup

Watermelon, very rich in water, makes an extremely refreshing sorbet. Lime juice adds a tangy note and highlights the watermelon’s freshness. Be careful not to over-sweeten, as watermelon already provides natural sweetness.

Presentation and Serving Tips

In Cones

For a summer and festive atmosphere, serve your nice creams and quick sorbets in vegan cones (egg and lactose-free), often available in specialty stores. This always makes a good impression on guests, especially children.

On a Bed of Fruits or Granola

Place your nice cream scoops in a small bowl and garnish with fresh fruits, coconut flakes, or crunchy granola. Red fruits pair perfectly with banana nice cream. Granola adds a pleasant contrast of textures.

In a Smoothie Bowl

A fun alternative is to turn your frozen dessert into a smoothie bowl. Simply blend a bit more liquid with your base, then pour the preparation into a bowl and add toppings: banana slices, oat flakes, goji berries, chia seeds. It’s a refined and vitamin-rich breakfast or brunch.

Tips for Optimizing Texture and Preservation

• Be sure to cut fruits into small pieces before freezing to facilitate blending.
• Work quickly to prevent premature melting, especially in summer.
• If you want to keep your mixture longer, place it in an airtight container in the freezer. However, note that it may crystallize a bit over days and become firmer.
• To regain a creamy consistency, let it rest for 10 minutes at room temperature, then give it a quick blend if necessary.

Adaptations for Intolerances and Preferences

• Gluten-free: choose gluten-free toppings like buckwheat, quinoa, or gluten-free oat granola.
• Soy-free: simply avoid soy milks, preferring rice, almond, or oat milk instead.
• Refined sugar-free: do not use white sugar but opt for dates, maple syrup, or coconut sugar.

Nutritional Benefits of Vegan Frozen Desserts

Rich in Vitamins and Minerals

Our nice cream and express sorbet recipes mainly contain fruits. They are thus sources of many micronutrients: vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, magnesium, and fibers, which are sorely lacking in traditional industrial desserts.

Low in Saturated Fats

By eliminating cream and eggs, you significantly reduce your intake of saturated fats. Essential healthy fats can be provided by small amounts of nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews) or coconut.

Lactose-Free and Digestion-Friendly

People intolerant to lactose or with digestive difficulties can turn to these desserts without fear. Moreover, the richness in fibers from bananas and other fruits can promote digestion, provided not to overindulge.

How to Vary Your Recipes Over the Long Term

1. Play with fruit combinations: strawberry-kiwi, pineapple-mint, raspberry-lychee, orange-pear.
2. Add superfoods: maca powder, goji berries, spirulina, hemp seeds.
3. Dare to use vegetables: yes, you read that right. Cooked and frozen zucchini or beetroot, mixed with fruits, can positively surprise with their neutral or slightly sweet taste.
4. Flavor with herbs: basil, coriander, thyme, and even rosemary. The key is to dose according to your palate.

Waste Management and Ecology

Choosing vegan frozen desserts helps reduce environmental impact. Conventional dairy products generate higher greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, using seasonal fruits, sometimes locally purchased, then frozen at home in reusable containers, helps limit plastic packaging. After all, the vegan approach also aims to respect the planet and its resources.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can You Freeze Already Blended Nice Cream?

Yes, absolutely. You can freeze a nice cream preparation in an airtight container for up to a week. However, keep in mind that it will tend to harden more than when freshly blended. Just let it rest to regain its creaminess.

What If My Quick Sorbet Is Too Liquid?

This is usually due to excess liquid added during blending. Simply add more frozen fruits or place your preparation in the freezer for a few minutes. You can also experiment with different types of fiber-rich fruits for a thicker texture.

Can These Desserts Be Made Without a Powerful Blender?

An immersion blender can work, provided you cut the fruits into small pieces and proceed step by step. However, you may end up with a less homogeneous texture than with a classic blender. In any case, let your fruits rest a few moments out of the freezer so they are not too hard when blending.

Can You Add Plant-Based Proteins?

If you want a more protein-rich dessert, you can incorporate plant-based protein powder (pea, hemp, rice) or nut butters (almond, cashew, peanut). This interests many athletes who follow a vegan diet while seeking to consume enough protein.

Conclusion

Vegan frozen desserts are an excellent way to indulge while eating healthier and more ethically. Banana-based nice creams are an incredibly creamy and versatile option, while quick sorbets can be endlessly varied with frozen fruits. Their preparation remains quick, without special equipment, and highly adaptable according to desires and seasons.

In addition to being delicious, these desserts have a lower environmental impact than traditional industrial ice creams. They are rich in nutrients, lactose-free, and easily customizable, making them a perfect option for intolerances or special diets. The possibilities are endless: add cocoa, spices, superfoods, aromatic herbs, or even vegetables, to discover new flavors.

Creating your own vegan ice creams and sorbets is thus taking care of your health, the planet, and your taste buds. So, ready to embark on the adventure of a fresh and deliciously responsible dessert? Get your blender, prepare your ripe bananas, and your favorite fruits. You’ll be surprised at how simple and fun making healthy homemade ice cream can be. Enjoy.