Vegan Ice Cream Base

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup coconut milk and the cornstarch; whisk until no lumps remain. Set aside.

Place remaining coconut milk, the corn syrup and salt in a large saucepan. Whisk to combine. Bring mixture just to boiling over medium-high heat. Whisk in cornstarch mixture; continue whisking until mixture thickens to the consistency of a thin pudding, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat. Whisk in vanilla. Pour mixture into a heatproof bowl or baking dish. Refrigerate, covered, until well-chilled, at least 4 hours.

Remove from refrigerator; whisk to smooth out any lumps, then transfer mixture to an ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Spread coconut in an even layer on a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake until golden, about 3 minutes, stirring often. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Stir desired stir-ins into churned ice cream. Transfer mixture to a 6-cup container, cover tightly, and freeze until firm. Store up to 3 months. Let soften at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving.