Chocolate Ice Cream

July 10, 2009 | 63 Comments | Email | Print

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Oh.My.God. In his prologue to this recipe in The Perfect Scoop, David Lebovitz says that when he first made this ice cream it was so good he licked the dasher clean when it was done churning. I may have done him one better. After licking the dasher clean, I took a spoon to clean up all the bits of ice cream that were still frozen to the sides of the bowl and hadn’t made it into the freezer container. This is, without question, the absolute best chocolate ice cream I have ever eaten. And I certainly have eaten enough to guarantee that the previous statement is statistically accurate. Smooth, creamy, and the most intense chocolate flavor you will ever find in a chocolate ice cream.

Let’s talk about the chocolate, shall we? This recipe calls for Dutch-process cocoa powder*, which adds a tremendous amount of depth and richness to this ice cream. I believe it’s a drastically improved flavor over what you would get using a regular unsweetened cocoa powder. The recipe then gives the option of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate and I used 60% bittersweet. I love dark chocolate and it definitely added an extra oomph of richness to the ice cream. I really just can’t say enough about the incredible flavor of this ice cream and I think the Dutch-process cocoa and the bittersweet chocolate is a stellar combination.

And now, on to the texture. This is the first time I have made ice cream using egg yolks to thicken the custard and I’ve been officially converted. While the other ice creams I’ve made have had a nice texture, this ice cream is completely unmatched. It is unbelievably smooth and creamy, and you can run a spoon through it straight from the freezer like you’re cutting butter. Absolutely superb.

And now I need your help. I am in need of a quality ice cream scoop. I want the pretty round scoops. Does anyone have any recommendations? I recently saw the Rösle ice cream scoop received high praise from Cook’s Illustrated, but am interested in hearing about any that you use and  love. Thanks for the input!

*I typically can’t find Dutch-process cocoa powder in the regular grocery stores in my area; if you’re in the same boat, you can easily order it online. I have ordered it both from Penzeys and Amazon with no problem. I would highly recommend getting it, as you can use it in many other chocolate baked goods as well. Penzeys offers smaller quantities, so if you just want to try it out, you can get a small bag of it through them for a much lower cost.

Want more ice cream? Check out the Blueberry Cheesecake and Classic Vanilla recipes.

Don’t forget! If you’re dying to make homemade ice cream and cursing yourself for not having an ice cream maker, head straight to this tutorial on how to make homemade ice cream without an ice cream maker!

One year ago: Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

Chocolate Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart

2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Warm 1 cup of the cream with the cocoa powder in a medium saucepan, whisking to thoroughly blend the cocoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer at a very low boil for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth. Then stir in the remaining 1 cup cream. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, scraping the saucepan as thoroughly as possible, and set a mesh strainer on top of the bowl.

2. Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in the same saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolk. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

3. Stir the mixture constantly over the medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula (170°F on an instant-read thermometer). Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the chocolate mixture until smooth, then stir in the vanilla. Stir until cool over an ice bath.

4. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (If the cold mixture is too thick to pour into your machine, whisk it vigorously to thin it out.)

(From The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz)

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63 Responses to Chocolate Ice Cream

Mathilde's Cuisine July 10, 2009 at 4:58 am

It looks absolutely delicious and the picture speaks to itself!

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jonathan July 10, 2009 at 6:15 am

The ice cream looks to have perfect texture, great! Thank you for the recipe, I would like to try at home.

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VeggieGirl July 10, 2009 at 8:03 am

Ahhh classic ice cream!!

The best ice cream scooper I’ve ever used is from Crate & Barrel.

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Little Scarlet July 10, 2009 at 8:46 am

This makes me want to run out and buy an ice cream maker! There are so many good ice cream recipes out there, and this just looks to-die-for!

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Carrie July 10, 2009 at 9:26 am

I just made this ice cream over the weekend too, and I totally agree! It’s the richest, creamiest chocolate ice cream that I’ve ever had! I love your photo!

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Michelle July 10, 2009 at 9:29 am

VeggieGirl – Thanks for the scoop recommendation! I’ll have to check out Crate & Barrel – their stuff is usually pretty reasonable.

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Michelle July 10, 2009 at 9:30 am

Carrie – Thanks for the compliment on my photo! Glad to hear that you tried this as well and loved it too. I just can’t get over the flavor, it’s to die for!

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Tracey July 10, 2009 at 10:35 am

Wow–I can’t wait to try it. Is there an ice cream maker you recommend?

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Michelle July 10, 2009 at 10:41 am

Hi Tracey, I use the Kitchen Aid ice cream maker attachment for my stand mixer, and I have also heard good things about the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker – http://tinyurl.com/la7hec. Hope that helps!

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Bridget July 10, 2009 at 11:48 am

David Lebovitz is pretty amazing, isn’t he? Apparently I need to make this ice cream next.

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stephchows July 10, 2009 at 12:01 pm

This looks so amazing!!! I’m a huge dark chocolate fan :) delicious!

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Erin July 10, 2009 at 12:04 pm

I agree you can’t beat the ultimate creaminess of ice cream made with egg yolks.

And I always lick the dasher!!!

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Erin July 10, 2009 at 1:39 pm

I made this a few months ago and I agree- it’s the best ever!

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Eliana July 10, 2009 at 2:08 pm

OK – I’m not a fan of chocolate ice cream but the way you described this one made me want to try is ASAP!

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Donna @ Way More Homemade July 10, 2009 at 2:22 pm

I have been thinking about making some chocolate ice cream. This sounds great!

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Ben July 10, 2009 at 3:37 pm

That looks sinfully delicious! Yum!

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Erin Brooks July 10, 2009 at 4:46 pm

I can’t wait till one day I have a standing mixer. For now I have to dream.
Your ice cream looks decadent!

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Talita Gomes July 10, 2009 at 6:15 pm

Wow!! I love ice cream!! This looks so creamy and yummy!

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April July 10, 2009 at 7:46 pm

Just wanted to let you know I voted for your banana bread and I’m making it tomorrow!

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bakingmomma July 10, 2009 at 8:07 pm

Once again delicious. People must love being your neighbors lol

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Katrina July 10, 2009 at 8:27 pm

While I’m certainly not “fightin’ ya” on this one, I recently made Dorie’s Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream and THAT was the best chocolate ice cream I’ve ever had. I haven’t tried the Perfect Scoop one yet, but I’m going to. You should try Dorie’s and see what you think. Definitely LOVE ice cream made with egg custard since getting my new ice cream maker a month ago. Love it. Your cone looks yummy. I’m off to order some Dutch cocoa, you’re right, can’t find it here anywhere.

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Jenny July 10, 2009 at 8:38 pm

Sounds yummy! My favorite all time ice cream scoop is from the Pampered Chef. “Heavy-duty dipper uses the heat of your hand to warm the defrosting liquid sealed inside the handle to easily cut through hard ice cream.” It gently melts the ice cream so that it scoops into perfect balls. I have bought one for all of my family and they all love it as well. It’s under $15 and lasts forever!

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Indigo July 11, 2009 at 7:28 am

After licking the dasher clean, I took a spoon to clean up all the bits of ice cream that were still frozen to the sides of the bowl and hadn’t made it into the freezer container.

Could’ve been worse – I’d have licked out the freezer container itself, haha! This looks AMAZING. Gorgeous photography!

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Katie July 11, 2009 at 9:06 am

Boy you have been busy this week! Looks great keep it up!

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Cookin' Canuck July 11, 2009 at 6:49 pm

I can tell by the color of this ice cream that it is rich and delicious. I finally broke out my ice cream maker last night, so I will have to give this a try.

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Kerstin July 11, 2009 at 7:09 pm

Wow, after that endorsement I’m going to have to get over my fear of using eggs in ice cream and just go for it! It looks amazing!!

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Mama Mel July 12, 2009 at 12:01 am

This looks sooo good! I saw another recipe for ice cream recently, and it looks like I’ll have to get my ice cream maker out and start making my own! :)

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miranda July 13, 2009 at 7:06 am

I absolutely adore your site.
That is why I am giving you an award….It is located at my site.
Thanks for all of the amazing bakes.

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Jaime July 13, 2009 at 9:01 pm

i recently made this after seeing it on another blog, too, and LOVED it.

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Karine July 13, 2009 at 11:27 pm

This ice cream looks wonderful!!!!!

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Em July 17, 2009 at 11:44 pm

Thanks for posting this. I had been on the fence about buying this book but after now making this recipe, I’ve fallen off on the BUY IT side.

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Joshua September 6, 2009 at 7:13 pm

I just made this icecream and couldnt figure out the part where you have to scrape the egg yolks back into the saucepan. My wasnt thick enoguh to scrape and then the mixture of milk, sugar and salt and egg yolks never got thick enough to cover the spatula until it was all grainy. Is that the way it suppose to look perhaps maybe you could take a picture of what your end result of egg yolks, milk, salt, sugar looks like before pouring into strainer.

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Michelle September 16, 2009 at 12:49 pm

Hi Joshua,

I’m sorry to hear that the custard didn’t quite turn out for you. As far as “scraping” the egg mixture back into the saucepan – it is not thick at this point, but the instructions say scrape merely to stress that you should get all of the mixture back into the pan and not leave any in the bowl. It should not be grainy; the only thing I can think of is perhaps the heat wasn’t up high enough to actually cook the custard and thicken it, but rather was just heating it and it never came together. The next time I make ice cream I will definitely take a picture of this step.

-Michelle

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Janene June 7, 2010 at 10:43 am

I don’t have an ice cream maker ~ but my mom does. :) We may just have to take a grocery bag up to Grammie’s house and make some of this. Chocolate is my FAVORITE ice cream.

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Maggie June 23, 2010 at 8:49 pm

Oh.my.god. You’re right! It was, hands down, the best chocolate ice cream I’ve ever made. I did as you did – licked the dasher, and squeaked every last bit out of the chilling bowl (or whatever you call that thing). Thanks! I’m taking this recipe to Beersheba this summer.

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Ana-Maria Popescu June 25, 2010 at 1:29 am

I will definitly try to make this icecream these days. I looks absolutely delicious!

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Jujey September 5, 2010 at 3:56 pm

OMG, I made this today, and I totally agree this is the best ice cream I have ever tasted…..it’s still not completely frozen and already the kids, hubby and I can’t seems to leave it alone…..i think by the time it is done, half of it will be done. It is so smooth!!! I love your website!!! Great pics, and u and I must have the same taste buds, b/c I love everything that u have posted. Keep up the great work!!!

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Michelle September 13, 2010 at 11:00 pm

Jujey – Thanks for coming back to share your results – I am a total slave to this ice cream too – intoxicating! And thank you for the kind words about the site – much appreciated!

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Carrie M December 30, 2010 at 11:09 am

Just got this out of the KA and WOW! Such a great, creamy texture!! The dutch process/bittersweet combo is amazing. Thanks for the recipe!

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Anzelle @ Scrambledpancakes February 14, 2011 at 1:04 pm

I just made this. Without an ice cream maker. And it is (I have the bowl next to me as I type) the best chocolate ice cream I have ever tasted. I followed the suggestions for making the ice cream with no ice cream maker, and it came out so smoothly, better than any ice cream I’ve ever had anywhere. It’s the perfect Valentine’s day dessert.

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Cindy April 28, 2011 at 3:40 pm

This looked so fabulous that I had to try it. It was the first recipe I made with my new ice cream attachment for my K.A. Instead of milk, I used 1/2 &1/2 (how did that change the recipe?). Also, I have no idea which cocoa is “dutch process”; I used Hersey’s. I used Ghirardeli semi sweet chocolate chips. Also I don’t know how I did it, but I totally forgot the vanilla! This ice cream is rich, creamy, thick, lucious.Beats any ice cream I’ve ever had. Thank you so much for sharing.

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Michelle April 29, 2011 at 1:07 pm

Hi Cindy, Using half and half in place of whole milk would just create a creamier, richer custard base (um, yum!). Also, Dutch-processed cocoa can be ordered through King Arthur Flour, Penzeys, Amazon and a number of other online retailers. (I get mine from Penzeys). I’m glad you enjoyed the ice cream!

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Johana May 17, 2011 at 10:12 am

I’ve never been a huge fan of chocolate ice cream myself, but when I read his prologue of the recipe, I knew I had to try it. The ice creams that I make usually last 1 week or more in the freezer. This one lasts 2 days. When I’ve made it, my family takes two scoops each as dessert after lunch and dinner. We most absolutely love it!

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Jessica June 28, 2011 at 10:35 pm

I have gone through so many so called “perfect” recipes for chocolate ice cream. But either the texture didn’t suite my taste or the flavor lacked intensity. So in order to be cheap I decided to be “smart” and 3rd the recipe so if it turned out to be “meh” it’s not a big loss of my fairly expensive dutch coco and chocolate.

Quiet possibly the dumbest mistake I’ve made in the kitchen. It’s sooooo creamy and inteansly chocolaty and rich and ……I’ll stop….

I have just enough for a small serving but once thats gone I’ll defiently be making another batch of this.

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Aimee August 11, 2011 at 4:15 am

Hi Michelle,
I’ve never made homemade ice cream before and I’m excited to try this recipe along with the help of your “how to make homemade ice cream without an ice cream maker” post. The chocolate ice cream looks absolutely divine in your photo! But before I can begin my ice cream endeavor I have a question, all I have at home is regular dutch processed cocoa powder, i don’t have unsweetened dutch cocoa powder. Can I use the dutch powder that I already have or must I go buy the unsweetened?

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Michelle August 11, 2011 at 12:23 pm

Hi Aimee, Does your dutch cocoa powder specifically say “sweetened”? If it doesn’t, it probably is actually unsweetened. If it is indeed sweetened, you’ll need to go with the unsweetened.

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Aimee August 15, 2011 at 3:12 am

Thanks so much Michelle, I went through with the Dutch cocoa powder I already had and it was an absolute success! I was thrilled that everything worked out and the chocolate ice cream turned out very rich in flavor- utterly delicious! Thanks again!

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Ryley December 27, 2011 at 9:35 am

Hi, I am planning on making this today and I was wondering how long to chill it in the fridge for before pouring in the machine??

Thanks!

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Maggie December 27, 2011 at 11:18 am

I’ve always heard at least 4 hours but up to 24 hours.

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Michelle December 30, 2011 at 7:55 pm

Hi Ryley, At least 8 hours, or overnight.

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Ellie Stroh January 4, 2012 at 9:33 pm

This looks SO GOOD!!! I will definitely make some and keep visiting this site! Thanks!!

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