Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

With the success of my vanilla ice cream, I decided that it would be fun to try to make chocolate ice cream. I used Alton Brown's chocolate ice cream recipe, which was similar to the vanilla ice cream recipe that I followed before, but included cocoa powder. I made the same fat-reducing modifications (less cream, fewer eggs, less sugar) to this recipe as well. The ice cream was a huge success. The cocoa actually made the ice cream thicker and creamier. When it came out of the churn, it tasted almost like a frosty! Once it was frozen, it was even better. I will definitely make it again!

Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

4 egg yolks

1 C sugar

1 C heavy cream

2 C half and half

1 C skim milk

1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 C add in of choice (I used cut up reese's cups)

1. Combine 1 C half and half with cocoa powder in a sauce pan.

2. Add remaining half and half, heavy cream and skim milk in a saucepan and bring just to a simmer.

3. Try to dissolve all of the cocoa powder. If there are still clumps (I had quite a few) run through a mesh strainer (I didn't have one, so I used my sifter).

4. Whisk egg yolks until they lighten in color and gradually add sugar, whisking to combine.

5. Temper cream mixture into egg mixture, adding a little bit at a time until about 1/3 of cream has been added to eggs (do it slowly so the eggs don't become scrambled eggs!).

6. Add egg mixture back into cream mixture and heat over medium heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon and reaches 170-175 degrees F.

5. Cool for 30 minutes and then stir in vanilla.

6. Refrigerate overnight.

7. The next day, add mixture to ice cream maker and churn for 20-25 minutes. Add 1/2 C cut up reese's (or mix-in of choice) in the last 3 minutes. *Note: I froze the reese's chunks after I cut them so they would hold their shape in the ice cream.

If you are using the KitchenAid attachment, freeze the bowl the night before when you make the ice cream base.

8. Remove from ice cream maker and store in an airtight container in the freezer overnight to finish hardening (it comes out of the ice cream maker as a soft serve).

Difficulty: Hard, requires a lot of equipment

Debbie's Rating: 10

Hirsh's Rating: 9.5

Benjie's Rating: 10 "I'd say the ice cream was better than any store-bought ice cream I've had - impressive."