I’ve made vanilla ice cream several times. But Sam recently said, “You never make chocolate ice cream.” So here we go, chocolate ice cream! You will need an electric ice cream maker for this recipe. (I have a Cuisinart, which is very easy to use.)
Ingredients
- 8 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 cups half and half
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
Separate the eggs and add the egg yolks to a large bowl. Whisk them with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes, until the yolks become a little lighter. Then, slowly add the sugar to the yolks, continuing to whip them until they are a light yellow color and fluffy.
Next, in a large pot, add the half and half and heavy cream. Add the cocoa powder to the cream mixture. Whisking with a wire whisk the entire time, heat the cream mixture over low-medium heat. Heat it just until it is simmering lightly, then turn off the burner.
Next, take a measuring cup and scoop out about a cup of the hot cream mixture. Pour it into the egg / sugar mixture, whisking continually to temper the egg. Continue with one or two more cups of the hot cream mixture, whisking the entire time. (If you overheat the egg and get scrambled egg bits, just strain the through a fine-mesh strainer and continue.)
Turn the heat back on to medium-low. Add the heated egg / sugar mixture back to the pot. Whisk continually until the mixture thickens into a custard. Do not allow this mixture to bubble; if it does, turn down the heat (and keep whisking!) When the custard is thickened, turn off the heat. Add the vanilla bean paste and stir it in thoroughly.
Cover the custard and let it cool a little, then place it in the refrigerator until it is fully cooled.
Chocolate custard cooled and ready for the ice cream maker.
When it is completely cooled, pour it into your ice cream maker and prepare it per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Mixing the ice cream!
