I place the cans of coconut milk in the fridge the night before or a few hours before I make the ice cream. If you don't have chilled coconut milk, you can always place the ice cream mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes before churning up the ice cream. The mixture needs to be cold before churning. I like Thai coconut milk brand, you can find it in the Asian aisle at most grocery stores. Make sure you use vegan chocolate if you need the ice cream to be vegan. I like Enjoy Life Brand.