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Chocolate Ice Cream

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This homemade chocolate ice cream tastes like a milk chocolate bar in cool, creamy form.

Three scoops of chocolate ice cream in a stemmed glass.

Imagine the richness of a milk chocolate bar, but transformed into something cooler and dreamier. That’s the magic behind this chocolate ice cream, adapted from Hello, My Name Is Ice Cream: The Art and Science of the Scoop by pastry chef Dana Cree. Trust me when I say it will absolutely ruin all other chocolate ice creams for you, even the premium store-bought brands. What sets it apart? It beautifully combines the fudgy depth of American chocolate ice cream with the creamy texture of European chocolate gelato. While the American style leans heavily on cocoa powder for flavor, European gelato ups the ante with melted chocolate. This recipe pulls out all the stops by employing three different types of chocolate — cocoa powder, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate — for an exceptionally rich chocolate flavor. Additionally, the recipe utilizes a few unexpected ingredients, like milk powder, corn syrup, and cornstarch, to ensure the ice cream is creamy, thick, and smooth —a far cry from the icy texture of many homemade versions.

What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

ingredients for chocolate ice creamBe sure to use good quality chocolate, such as Ghirardelli, Guittard, or Lindt, and avoid chocolate chips. For a deeper chocolate flavor, you can replace the milk chocolate with more bittersweet chocolate.

Step-by-Step Instructions

In a medium bowl (large enough to hold the entire ice cream mixture), combine the milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolates.

milk and dark chocolate pieces in bowl

Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until about 75% melted. Stir, allowing the residual heat in the bowl to melt the chocolate completely. (Alternatively, the chocolate can be melted in a bowl over a double boiler.) Add the cocoa powder and salt.

adding cocoa powder and salt to melted chocolate

Stir until completely smooth.

smooth chocolate mixture in bowl

In a small bowl, stir together the milk powder and sugar. Set aside.

milk powder and sugar in bowl

In another small bowl, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold milk and stir until completely smooth. Set aside.

cornstarch slurry in bowl

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the remaining 2¼ cups milk, the cream, and corn syrup, whisking occasionally to prevent scorching, until it comes to a rolling boil.

cream, milk, and corn syrup boiling in pan

Whisk the milk powder and sugar mixture into the pot.

adding the milk powder and sugar mixture to cream and milk mixture

Reduce the heat to a low simmer, and continue cooking for 2 minutes, whisking frequently to prevent scorching. Add the cornstarch slurry and continue cooking and whisking for 1 minute more.

simmering milk and cream mixture

Pour about one-third of the hot milk mixture into the melted chocolate; whisk until completely smooth. Gradually pour in the remaining milk mixture, stopping to whisk until smooth as you go, until fully incorporated (adding the milk mixture slowly prevents flecks of unmixed chocolate in the ice cream, which turn grainy when frozen).

gradually adding milk and cream mixture to chocolate mixture

Fill a large bowl with crushed ice and a bit of cold water, a few inches deep. Next, place the warm chocolate ice cream base into the ice bath, stirring occasionally until it reaches a cool room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes. (These ice baths can be a little wobbly; be sure your bowl is stable. It’s fine to use less ice and water if necessary.)

cooling chocolate ice cream mixture in ice bath

Remove the chocolate ice cream base from the ice bath, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. (The colder the mixture is when you churn it, the better.)

Pour the ice cream mixture into the bowl of an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The ice cream is ready when it reaches a soft-serve consistency and holds its shape; it should take 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the machine.

churning chocolate ice cream in ice cream machine

Immediately transfer the ice cream to a container with an airtight lid. Press plastic wrap on the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming, cover, and freeze until it hardens completely, 6 to 12 hours.

chocolate ice cream in container ready to freeze

Scoop and serve.

Three scoops of chocolate ice cream in a stemmed glass.Note: The original recipe in the cookbook calls for 4 oz of bittersweet chocolate. I found it a bit too rich, so I decreased it by half.

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Chocolate Ice Cream

This homemade chocolate ice cream tastes like a milk chocolate bar in cool, creamy form.

Servings: Makes between 1 and 1½ quarts of ice cream (8 servings)
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped (see note)
  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (see note)
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder, such as Hershey's
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons milk powder (dry milk)
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2¼ cups + 2 tablespoons whole milk, divided
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup corn syrup

Instructions

  1. Melt the Chocolate: In a medium bowl (large enough to hold the entire ice cream mixture), combine the milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolate. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until about 75% melted. Stir, allowing the residual heat in the bowl to melt the chocolate completely. (Alternatively, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan containing about 1 inch of barely simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.) Add the cocoa powder and salt and stir until completely smooth.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the milk powder and sugar. Set aside.
  3. In another small bowl, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold milk and stir until completely smooth. Set aside.
  4. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the remaining 2¼ cups milk, the cream, and corn syrup, whisking occasionally to prevent scorching, until it comes to a rolling boil.
  5. Whisk the milk powder and sugar mixture into the pot, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and continue cooking for 2 minutes, whisking frequently to prevent scorching. Add the cornstarch mixture and continue cooking and whisking for 1 minute more.
  6. Pour about one-third of the hot milk mixture into the melted chocolate; whisk until completely smooth. Gradually pour in the remaining milk mixture, stopping to whisk until smooth as you go, until fully incorporated (adding the milk mixture slowly prevents flecks of unmixed chocolate in the ice cream, which turn grainy when frozen).
  7. Fill a large bowl with crushed ice and a bit of cold water, a few inches deep. Next, place the warm chocolate ice cream base into the ice bath, stirring occasionally until it reaches a cool room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes. (These ice baths can be a little wobbly; be sure your bowl is stable. It's fine to use less ice and water if necessary.)
  8. Remove the chocolate ice cream base from the ice bath, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. (The colder the mixture is when you churn it, the better.)
  9. Pour the ice cream mixture into the bowl of an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. The ice cream is ready when it reaches a soft-serve consistency and holds its shape; it should take 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the machine.
  10. Immediately transfer the ice cream to a container with an airtight lid. Press plastic wrap on the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming, cover, and freeze until it hardens completely, 6 to 12 hours. Scoop and serve.
  11. Note: Be sure to use good quality chocolate, such as Ghirardelli, Guittard, or Lindt, and avoid chocolate chips. For a deeper chocolate flavor, replace the milk chocolate with more bittersweet chocolate.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (8 servings)
  • Calories: 320
  • Fat: 16 g
  • Saturated fat: 10 g
  • Carbohydrates: 43 g
  • Sugar: 40 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 5 g
  • Sodium: 137 mg
  • Cholesterol: 42 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • Hi Jen,
    Could I substitute the corn syrup? I try to avoid it. Thank you!

    • — Eugenia on January 8, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Eugenia, You really need the corn syrup here — sorry!

      • — Jenn on January 10, 2024
      • Reply
  • UGH! Finally committed to making this and followed the recipe exactly. Everything looked good until I took the ice cream base out of the freezer to churn (I chilled it overnight) and it was frozen rock hard. The recipe says pour the mixture into ice cream machine to churn but I can’t even scoop it it’s so hard. Any suggestions/thoughts are appreciated!

    • — Michele on August 27, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Michelle, sorry you had a problem with this! The problem was due to the fact that you put the ice cream base in the freezer as opposed to the fridge to chill.

      • — Jenn on August 29, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi Jen,

    Could you add almonds to this recipe? When would be the best time to add them in the process?

    • — Stefanie on August 23, 2023
    • Reply
    • Sure, Stefanie, that should be fine. I’d add them at the end while the ice cream is churning. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on August 24, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn, can the dry milk powder be replaced with malted milk powder? All I have on hand

    • — Kim Kapetanis on August 22, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Kim, I wouldn’t recommend it – sorry!

      • — Jenn on August 24, 2023
      • Reply
  • Similar recipes use xanthum gum in the recipe to help with ice crystals. Can xanthum gum be incorporated with the milk powder in your recipe?

    • — Virginia on August 17, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Virginia, I believe you could add 1/4 teaspoon to the chilled base. According to the author of the book, the best way to incorporate it is to add it to the cold base in a blender and blend for 1 minute, then proceed with freezing.

      • — Jenn on August 19, 2023
      • Reply
  • I cannot wait to try this! If I would like to add peanut butter for a chunky chocolate peanut butter, when would I add the peanut butter and do i freeze scoops first?

    • — Melanie Franceschi on July 30, 2023
    • Reply
    • Sounds good! I’d freeze little scoops of peanut butter and add it toward the end of the churning time. Please LMK how it turns out!

      • — Jenn on August 1, 2023
      • Reply
  • Is there a dessert bread (warmed) you think would be good with this ice cream on top of it

    • — Cynthia on December 2, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Cynthia, the first thing that comes to mind is banana bread because I love the pairing of bananas and chocolate. It would be nice on this basic banana bread or this marbled one. Hope that helps!

      • — Jenn on December 2, 2022
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn, the only milk powder I have access to is Instant fat free skim milk powder. Would that work?

    • — M on November 5, 2022
    • Reply
    • Yep 🙂

      • — Jenn on November 5, 2022
      • Reply
  • We really enjoyed this! We particularly enjoyed that after freezing overnight, the remaining ice cream doesn’t turn rock hard but is entirely “scoopable. Yummy!

    • — Judy on September 3, 2022
    • Reply
  • Question: you mentioned that the original recipe used 4 oz of bittersweet chocolate. Was this in addition to the milk chocolate or did you decrease the bittersweet and add the milk chocolate? Thanks.

    • — Janice on August 31, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Janice, It was in addition to the milk chocolate. 🙂

      • — Jenn on September 1, 2022
      • Reply
  • Thank you so much for this recipe and instruction help, Jenn! Can this recipe be doubled with success?

    • — Kellie on August 20, 2022
    • Reply
    • Sure Kellie, although you’ll likely have to freeze the ice cream in batches. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on August 20, 2022
      • Reply
  • I plan to make this tonight. What can be substituted for dry milk as the store around me don’t carry the product. Thanks!

    • — Jane on August 20, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Jane, You can just use additional milk (and add it with the milk).

      • — Jenn on August 20, 2022
      • Reply
  • What is the purpose of the milk powder? Could more regular milk be used? I hate to have to purchase a whole box of milk powder for just 3 tablespoons.

    • — Cynthia on August 18, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Cynthia, The milk powder helps stabilize the ice cream, making it smooth, dense, and rich. It does this by absorbing extra water in the ice cream mixture, so there’s less water to freeze into ice as the ice cream churns. You can replace it with more whole milk; the ice cream won’t be quite as creamy, but it should still be delicious. 🙂

      • — Jenn on August 20, 2022
      • Reply
  • Jenn l made the recipe today and my grandson who is staying with me a few weeks over summer absolutely said this was the best chocolate ice cream he ever had, and this kid is a chocolate fiend.
    I took a lick well ok more than a lick and yes it’s really creamy and not icy like the normal ice creams l make.
    To get to my question because you have an extensive background in cooking if one wanted say to make vanilla ice cream could l just follow the recipe and ingredients minus the chocolate and add vanilla extract or add a bean to the milk/cream cooking mixture.
    I really like the ice cream base and would like to try to make other flavours instead of just chocolate. Do you think that would work?
    Thank you Jenn for sharing, l look forward to getting your weekly newsletter, your recipes are very delicious and never fail.

    • — Branka Klinec on August 18, 2022
    • Reply
    • So happy you and your grandson enjoyed! If you want to try a similar style ice cream in vanilla, I would use this recipe. I’d love to know how it turns out if you try it. 🙂

      • — Jenn on August 18, 2022
      • Reply
  • I’m not much of a fan of chocolate ice cream, but this recipe makes it tempting indeed! My only caution is, I fear some readers may be confused by the first step (as I was, until I went over it at least 3 times). I interpreted the instructions as putting ALL the liquid milk AND the bittersweet bar chocolate chunks into a bowl to melt. The photo of course shows only the bar chocolate chunks in the bowl (no milk) so I knew something was weird. But I still had to re-read the instructions a few times before I realized, Jen, that you’re referring to the milk chocolate chunks where it says “…combine the milk and bittersweet chocolates.” The plural in “chocolates” is what I finally paid attention to, and then interpreted correctly. But – excited ice-cream makers beware – if you dive into this recipe too fast, you may sabotage the whole effort right at the outset in step 1! Now that I have un-confused myself 🙂 I’m going to give this recipe a try. I made your caramelized banana ice cream last night and it was divine, as are all your recipes — not just ice cream! — so I can’t pass this one up. (I only gave zero stars because I haven’t tried it yet. I hope that doesn’t bring down the average!)

    • — Teresa on August 18, 2022
    • Reply
    • Thank you for pointing that out, Teresa – looking at it again, it is confusing! I fixed it. Hope you enjoy! 😊

      • — Jenn on August 18, 2022
      • Reply
  • Does this recipe work without an ice cream machine?

    Thanks, Anna

    • — Anna on August 18, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Anna, Unfortunately you really need the ice cream machine for this recipe. Sorry!

      • — Jenn on August 18, 2022
      • Reply

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