In college, I became addicted to Chai when I found out that a coffee shop in the area of my university sold my favorite spiced chai brand for only $1.50. It was also a large chai latté! Chai tea lattes are now around $4 on average. I don’t buy them anymore. It’s a matter of principle. It’s just principle.
My love affair with Chai started and has never really stopped. Chai-infused products are wonderful. As spring approaches, I am already in ice cream mode. Vegan ice cream, not dairy ice cream! I can’t take the cream or whole milk anymore. Cashews, coconut milk, and cashew butter are the answer!
What is Masala Tea?
Masala Chai is a spicy, creamy tea that is most popular in India. However, it is becoming more and more popular around the globe. The main difference between masala and chai tea is that the masala version includes spices, while Chai contains only milk and tea.
Chai is usually made from four ingredients:
- Black Tea (we like to use loose-leaf or bagged tea and decaf whenever possible)
- Milk
- Sweetener
- Spices (ginger, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, black pepper)
Spices vary according to the recipe. Our favorite is a combination of cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper cloves, and ginger.
This Indian-inspired dish is easy to make because it only requires ten ingredients, and there’s no need for chilling or boiling. This saves you time. Preparation begins before you even start. Chill your ice cream maker and soak your cashews until they are creamy and blendable.
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Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. Transfer the mixture directly to an ice cream maker and churn it until it is thick and creamy about 45 minutes. Scoop the ice cream into a freezer-safe container and freeze it until firm. Then scoop, scoop away!
Ingredients
- Cashews: 1 1/2 cups (soaked 4-6 hours or overnight)
- Use 1 cup of coconut milk (or another dairy-free alternative such as almond, rice, or almond milk)
- Three chai packets (or four teaspoons loose-leaf tea as the original recipe was written // or substitute black tea for a subtler chai flavor).
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (or olive oil)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave nectar (substitute honey if you are not vegan).
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Half a teaspoon each of cinnamon and ginger powder
- Use 1/4 tsp of each ground clove (optional), black pepper, and cardamom*
Instructions
- Set your churning dish in the freezer to chill the night before. Cashews should be soaked the night before or at least for 4-6 hours before blending.
- Pour ice cream when ready, steep your Chai in 3/4 cup boiling (amounts according to the original recipe // adjust if you change batch size). Steep for 10 minutes. The tea should be strong. Remove the tea bags and cool them in the refrigerator.
- Drain cashews while you measure the other ingredients.
- Blend the tea with all other ingredients in a blend until smooth and creamy – approximately 3-4 minutes. If you have liquify, use it. Adjust sweetness/flavors to taste.
- Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and stir according to the manufacturer’s instructions. It should take about 45 minutes to get it completely chilled. It should look like a thick, soft serve.
- Transfer into a container that can be frozen, covered, and frozen for at least six hours or overnight. The frozen product will be kept for up to one week.
