Vegan Chocolate Amaretto Ice Cream

Directions

1. Soak the cashews in filtered water for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Remove the pits from the dates and discard, then soak the pitted dates in warm filtered water for about 15 minutes.
3. Drain the cashews and combine with an equal amount of fresh filtered water in a high speed blender.
4. Blend on high for about 45 seconds, until smooth.
5. Drain the dates and add them, along with cacao and salt, then blend on high again, until completely smooth. Taste the mixture at this point. It should have a thick, custard-like consistency, with no chunks of nuts or dates. Blend for longer if necessary, but take care to make sure the mixture doesn't get too hot.
6. Chop the chocolate and add it, along with the coconut oil, to a small sauce pan. Heat it gently until everything is melted and remove from heat. Let it cool for a few minutes.
7. Add the warm chocolate/coconut oil mixture, vanilla extract, and amaretto to the the blender and pulse a few times, at a low speed, to incorporate.
8. Refrigerate the mixture in the blender for at least 6 hours or overnight.
9. When the mixture is completely chilled, return the container to the blender, and give it another few low-speed pulses.
10. Process in your ice cream maker, according to manufacturer's instructions.
11. Serve right away as soft serve, or transport into a glass container with a lid and continue freezing for a harder ice cream.
12. When fully frozen, remove from the freezer and let stand at room temperature for up to 15 minutes (depending on how cold your freezer is) before scooping to soften the ice cream.