How to make kefir ice cream that is thick, spoonable, rich and mild-tasting. You may find that you don’t even need fruit or sweetener!
Kefir made with live grains is the #1 most powerful probiotic food on the planet.
If you don’t eat grains, no worries. Kefir “grains” are not actually grains like a rice or wheat kernel.
They are simply grain-like microbial colonies that are a living culture for fermented dairy.
If you’re trying to save time by buying commercial kefir, don’t bother. Store bought kefir is a waste of money.
Commercial brands are not only fermented improperly, but they also contain a small fraction of the beneficial microbial strains of homemade made with a living culture (never use powdered starter).
Once you’ve experienced the truly life-transformative digestive benefits of traditional kefir, you might be game to trying something new…
My husband and I call it “kefir ice cream”.
All you have to do is use heavy cream as a substitute for roughly half the whole milk.
The best cream is raw and purchased directly from a dairy farmer. If you don’t have this amazing healthfood available, regular pasteurized cream is acceptable. However, be sure to avoid UHT “ultrapasteurized” cream, as it is too heavily damaged from high heat processing.
The result is super thick and spoonable like ice cream. It is also much milder tasting than kefir made with whole milk alone.
You might even eat a cup on its own like I do most mornings. No sweetener or fruit is necessary to cut the sourness, in my opinion.
This form of kefir is also much lower in carbs per serving than if you make it with just milk.
Kefir Ice Cream
How to make kefir ice cream that is thick, spoonable, rich and mild-tasting. You probably won’t need any fruit or sweetener!
Instructions
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Pour quart of heavy cream into a half gallon mason jar.
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Top up jar to 2 inches below the rim with whole grassfed milk.
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Add live probiotic kefir culture and screw on the lid. Around 1/4 to 1/2 cup of “grains” is sufficient to culture the entire half gallon.
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Leave on the counter for 24-36 hours. If your kitchen is quite cool, the fermentation will take closer to 36 hours.
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Enjoy a small bowl of kefir ice cream immediately. It is thick and amazing at room temperature!
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Refrigerate leftovers. Kefir ice cream will stay fresh for eating for many weeks although the taste will slowly get stronger over time.
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Optional step. To transform into a frozen probiotic dessert, remove the live grains from the jar after fermentation is complete, stir in one-half to one cup of dark maple syrup (if desired but not necessary), and pour the contents into an ice cream maker to churn/freeze according to your appliance’s instructions.
Nutrition Facts
Kefir Ice Cream
Amount Per Serving (0.5 cup)
Calories 173
Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 11g55%
Cholesterol 65mg22%
Sodium 24mg1%
Potassium 75mg2%
Carbohydrates 2.75g1%
Protein 2g4%
Calcium 475mg48%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
