Extra Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

Homemade Extra Dark Chocolate Ice CreamThis ice cream is sort of like eating the inside of a truffle… it’s the consistency of ice cream, but with the smooth, rich flavor of dark ganache. If you like decadent chocolate ice cream, pin this recipe for safe keeping!! Of every batch I’ve ever made… this extra dark chocolate ice cream recipe continues to remain my absolute favorite- then again, I’m a chocoholic.

Dark Chocolate Ice Cream RecipeThe trick to making reallllly good chocolate ice cream all lies within the quality of your ingredients. Always use the best ingredients available, especially when making ice cream with a singular flavor. Try to find the best chocolate you can get your hands on!! It really makes a difference when using a bold, full-bodied bar with a high cacao percentage. Here’s what else you’ll need…

Extra Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

Chocolate Syrup:
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup brewed coffee
1/2 cup sugar
1  1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cacao), finely chopped

Ice Cream Base:
2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1  1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) cream cheese, softened
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1  cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup

The Best Chocolate Ice Cream

Extra Dark Chocolate Ice CreamFor the chocolate syrup, combine the cocoa, coffee, and sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar, and boil for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate, and let it cool for 5 minutes. Stir the syrup until it’s completely smooth and set aside.

For the ice cream base, mix about 2 tablespoons of milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry. Whisk the cream cheese, warm chocolate syrup, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fill a large bowl with ice and water… set this aside for now! Begin to combine the remaining milk, cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a 4-quart saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, for around 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened- about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziplock freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag into an ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice if necessary- until cold, around 30 minutes. Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister and turn on the ice cream machine. Spin until thick and cream, around 30 minutes. Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface, and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer for at least 5 hours!

Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

Scoops of Dark Chocolate Ice CreamOf course, this recipe came from my go-to ice cream cookbook… Jeni’s. Guess what pairs perfectly with this one? Strawberry buttermilk ice cream. My ideal dessert is one scoop of each (dark + strawberry), complete with a cone on the side. What’s your all-time favorite ice cream flavor?

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