Will summer never end? Don’t get me wrong, I love great weather but when it’s too hot to be outside it can be a bit wearing. To cool things down I decided it was the perfect time to make some of my simple Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream. With my ice cream maker still out and my homemade vanilla ice cream stored in the fridge, adding some chocolate ice cream to the mix seemed a natural thing to do.
As it was with the Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream, finding the right ratios of all the ingredients to make a foolproof, simple homemade chocolate ice cream was indeed a journey. Again it was trial and error with some interesting disasters. This is the simple foolproof homemade chocolate ice cream recipe I now use to make a delightful homemade chocolate ice cream.
Simple Foolproof
Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream
Ingredients: Makes approximately 2 quarts
- 1 cup cocoa powder sifted
- ¾ cup dark Karo syrup
- ½ cup light Karo syrup
- Pinch of cayenne
- ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon strong instant coffee powder/granules
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon 150 to 151 proof grain alcohol (or 3 ½ tablespoons Vodka)
Directions:
Make sure your ice cream maker bowl is frozen hard before you start. (Note: I find that refrigerating/freezing the ice cream churner blade is helpful too.)
In a large bowl, whisk the sifted cocoa, Karo syrups, instant coffee, cayenne, and salt; vigorously whisk until everything is thoroughly blended. Make sure the cocoa has been completely incorporated. Add the milk and whisk until all the ingredients are completely incorporated. Whisk in the heavy cream, vanilla, and alcohol. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours, or overnight.
When you’re ready to make your ice cream, take the ice cream mixture out of the refrigerator. The ingredients may have settled so whisk it a bit to ensure all the ingredients are blended. Take the frozen ice cream maker bowl out of the freezer along with the churn blade and position it in the machine. Turn the ice cream maker on; while it’s turning, slowly pour the mixture into the ice cream maker. Continue to churn the mixture for 30 to 35 minutes until the ice cream has thickened. The ice cream will hold its shape with a soft, creamy texture. To give it a firmer consistency, transfer the ice cream into two airtight quart freezer containers, label, date and place them in the freezer for at least 2 hours or up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve, remove the ice cream from the freezer for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Scoop out some ice cream in a cute ice cream dish. Add one of my dessert sauces for a bit of fun.
Variations/Add-ins – Add 1 cup or so of these at about the 23 to 25-minute mark or stir them in when the ice cream has churned to the right consistency. Remember, the idea is to add these into the ice cream – not freeze them. Adding it sooner than that, or at the beginning, will cause the add-ins to collect at the bottom in a hard clump. Yuck.
- Chopped nuts and mini marshmallows
- Chopped candy pieces of your choice (Reese’s Cups, Heath Bars, Snickers Bars, etc.)
- Chopped or mini white or chocolate chips
- Chocolate nibs
- Sprinkles of choice
- Whipped cream and Maraschino Cherries
To create a swirl effect, try adding a ½ cup or so of one of these in a slow stream at the end. A combination of sauces can be fun too.
- Peanut butter – softened in a pourable from
- Chocolate syrups
- Caramel sauces
Notes: The dark Karo syrup and instant coffee adds depth and richness to the chocolate flavor of the ice cream. The two Karo syrups and grain alcohol make all the difference when you freeze it. The syrup and alcohol will ensure your ice cream has that beautiful creamy texture after it’s been frozen a while. If you’re worried about tasting the alcohol, don’t, you won’t even know it’s there. Without it, you will have that unpleasant solid icy consistency of which so many are so familiar. The type of grain alcohol I use in this recipe is Everclear 151 Grain Alcohol, easily found at most purveyors of alcoholic beverages. If you can’t find it, 3 ½ tablespoons of a good quality vodka will do just fine. I use so little that it’s a good thing it doesn’t go bad because the bottle I bought has been around forever. 😀 If you prefer a lighter chocolate flavored ice cream, reduce the cocoa and coffee a bit and you’re good to go.
One last thing, good freezer storage containers help to preserve your ice cream. I love my Tovolo Sweet Treats Tubs. They are inexpensive, reusable and perfect for ice cream.
With our company on the way, I do believe my Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream, along with my vanilla ice cream, will be fun to serve. When I provide my homemade dessert sauces and a variety of toppings, I’m sure everyone will have fun creating an ice cream sundae of their choice. Doesn’t that sound like fun? Hum, now how about a Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream to go along with my Homemade Vanilla and Chocolate Ice Cream Recipes? Keep an eye for that very thing in an upcoming post.
Time to eat…
If you enjoyed my “Foolproof Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream,” check out my Three Easy Dessert Sauces, Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream, or my yummy Lemon Sorbet. Enjoy.
P.S. Take a moment to check out or purchase some of the tools I used for this “Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream” below. 🙂