The recipe in this post is based on a recipe on the Watermelon Ice Cream Bars recipe from Watermelon.org. I veganized the recipe and have posted the instructions and ingredients for making the vegan version of that recipe in this post. The idea for the recipe, however, is attributed to Watermelon.org.
Watermelon is one of the greatest fruits of summer, in my humble opinion. According to Healthline.com, watermelon is made up of 91% water – it doesn’t get much more refreshing and hydrating than that on a summer day! When I saw the ripe watermelons in my grocery store, I knew I wanted to start incorporating them into some recipes and I was inspired by the folks over at Watermelon.org to do so.
If you’ve been following me on Instagram or reading these blog posts, you know that I love a sweet treat, so the Watermelon Ice Cream Bar recipe immediately caught my eye. And luckily, with just a few substitutions and some vegan magic, it wasn’t too hard to veganize the recipe!
The biggest change is that you will need an egg substitute: I recommend aquafaba in this case. You can whip the aquafaba up just like you would the eggs with a hand or stand mixer. You’ll do something similar with the can of coconut milk. One other thing to be aware of: the curd will get much thicker as it cools in the fridge, so it’s okay if it isn’t super thick in the pan.
I also had a hard (read: impossible) time finding watermelon juice in the grocery store, so I ended up blending my own using fresh watermelon. This is actually really easy to do. Just add chunks of watermelon to your blender and blend until it gets to be a juice consistency. You can strain your juice to ensure no seeds get into the finished product at the end. Any leftover juice can be used in smoothies, other recipes, or you can straight up drink it as juice!
Some things to watch out for: when buying graham crackers, you’ll want to check for honey on the ingredients list if you avoid it. Many brands available in the grocery store are not vegan because of this, but the Nabisco brand does not have honey added in. The other thing to note is that these bars do need to freeze for a while – so if you’re planning to make them for a party, you’ll want to prepare them at least the day before. They will keep in the freezer for a quite a while (at least a week).
Lastly, I highly recommend garnishing these with fresh mint leaves. They add a really nice pop of color and a wonderful flavor and texture contrast with the sweet ice cream bars.
Overall, veganizing this recipe from Watermelon.org was a lot of fun and turned out absolutely delicious. My partner and I ate all of these bars pretty quickly – they were such a refreshing treat, especially during this intensely part of summer. I would love the hear how this veganized recipe works out for you or any changes you make to it. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!
Vegan Watermelon Ice Cream Bars
Equipment
- blender
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- food processor (optional, but helpful)
Ingredients
Watermelon Curd
- ¾ cup watermelon juice
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- ½ cup light agave nectar or maple syrup
- pinch of salt
- 6 tbsp aquafaba
- ⅛ tsp cream of tartar optional
- ½ cup vegan butter cut into small cubes (I used Earth Balance)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- ½ tsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
Crust
- 8 graham crackers crushed
- 2 tbsp light agave nectar or maple syrup
- 4 tbsp vegan butter melted and cooled
- pinch of salt
Garnish
- mint leaves optional
Instructions
- Whip the aquafaba with the cream of tartar until fluffy using a hand or stand mixer. When you pull away the "beaters" the aquafaba on the beaters should form stiff peaks when you flip it over(like you're looking at a "v"). If it doesn't maintain the "v" shape, you'll need to continue whipping it.
- Once the aquafaba is fully beaten, make the watermelon curd by combining the watermelon juice, lime juice, agave syrup, and salt in a large pot. Combine those ingredients, then fold in the aquafaba. Add a small amount at first to incorporate it into the mixture. Once it's been incorporated, add the rest.
- Place the pot over medium heat and cook, adding the cubed butter to it and stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken over time, until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Immediately remove it from the heat and pour it through a fine mesh sieve. All the mixture to cool completely in your fridge. While it is cooling, make the crust.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Add the graham crackers to a food processor and pulse until rough crumbs form. Add the agave, salt, and melted butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper, then press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Bake the crust for about 10 minutes, or until it just begins to brown. Allow it to cool completely.
- When both the crust and curd are cooled completely, whip the coconut milk with the hand or stand mixer using the cornstarch and cream of tartar. It will get thick and creamy, and less stiff peaks will form than with the aquafaba (basically like a droopy "v").
- In the bowl containing the curd, push the curd to one side. Add the whipped coconut milk to the other, and fold the cream and curd together gently with a rubber spatula until the color is even throughout.
- Pour the mixture over the graham cracker crust. Place the pan in the freezer and let it freeze completely, 4-6 hours or overnight.
- When ready to serve, loosen the sides by pulling at the parchment paper gently. The bars should pull away from the side easily (otherwise it's not frozen fully). You can remove the bars from the pan completely before cutting or keep them in the pan and cut 9 bars through to the bottom. Add a mint leaf to the top of each bar and serve frozen!
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