Chocolate Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 6 large egg yolks
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate – chopped
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl; keep nearby.
2. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, and fine salt. Heat over medium, whisking, until steaming and the sugar has dissolved, 3–5 minutes; do not boil.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth, 15–20 seconds.
4. Temper the yolks by slowly whisking in about 1 cup of the hot dairy mixture. Return the yolk mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens to 170–175°F and coats the back of the spatula, 5–8 minutes.
5. Pour the custard through the strainer into the bowl, then add the bittersweet chocolate (chopped). Let sit 1 minute, then whisk until completely melted and smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract.
6. Cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (40°F or colder), at least 4 hours or overnight.
7. Churn the base in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions until it reaches soft-serve consistency and pulls away from the sides, 20–25 minutes.
8. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, press parchment or plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and freeze until firm, 2–4 hours. Scoop and serve.
Chocolate ice cream is a custardy, ultra-smooth frozen dessert where the richness of cream and egg yolks meets the deep, rounded flavor of cocoa and melted chocolate. The result is dense yet scoopable, with a satin mouthfeel and a lingering bittersweet finish. When properly churned and hardened, it delivers clean, well-defined scoops that soften luxuriously on the tongue.
Chocolate ice cream has roots in European custard-making traditions and became widely popular with the spread of hand-cranked freezers in the 19th century. Early versions were often called chocolate ices or glace chocolat, evolving from chilled chocolate drinks to churned, dairy-enriched desserts. Today it’s a global standard, but the custard-churned style remains a hallmark of American and European ice cream making, prized for body, stability, and depth of flavor.