> I now have an electric ice cream maker to make small amounts of "ice
> cream" -- of course milk free.  Does anyone know how to make a substitute
> for cream using rice milk, soy milk etc., since of course it needs to be
> thick.
>
This is a recipe I use called "Vegan Piping Cream" which I found in"The
Vegan Cookbook" by Wakeman & Baskerville. (I find it very versatile, using
it as a cake topping (with the addition of cocoa powder to make a chocolate
cream) and the base for fruit flans and toppings for trifles - my daughter
also eats any cocoa flavoured leftovers as a chocolate mousse!!)

1 and a half tabs fine cornmeal (I use cornflour in the UK)
125ml soya milk (I use unsweetened)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp maple syrup (if you want a sweetened cream - I usually add a little
bit more to taste)
60g soft margarine

1.    Put the cornmeal in a small pan, add the soya milk a little at a time,
blending in carefully to remove the lumps.
2.    Add the vanilla essence and maple syrup.  Heat and stir gently and
continuously until the mixture thickens.  Remove from the heat.  Stand the
pan in cold water to cool.
3.    Put the margarine in a small bowl and mash with a fork till it begins
to cream.  Begin adding the cooled cornmeal mixture and continue mashing and
blending till you have a rich smooth creamy consistency [I use a hand held
electric mixer for all this bit which works very well].  Add some extra soy
milk if it seems too thick, but be careful not to add too much or it won't
hold its shape.
4.    Refrigerate till needed.

NB:    the above quantities are metric - if anyone wants Imperial/American,
let me know as I have these too.