Delicious Chocolate Ice Cream
Every kitchen should have as standard issue an ice cream maker. Not the old-fashioned kind with a hand crank that requires adding ice, it should be one with an electric motor that produces ice cream in 20 minutes so one can finish another chapter of that great book one is reading. Don’t look at me, those are my niece Rachel’s requirements for an excellent home ice cream maker.
Since I was given one as a gift, I haven’t had to go shopping for one but I have felt grateful the machine passed Rachel’s standards. This is our favorite ice cream recipe and yes, we have tested several, all in the interests of achieving a higher culinary standard.
You’re welcome.
Simple Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients:
*3⁄4 cup sifted cocoa powder
1⁄2 cup sugar
**1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
A pinch of salt
***1 cup whole milk (or skim or powdered milk)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Other Possible Recipe Alterations
Miniature chocolate chips
Spearmint flavoring
Fresh strawberries
Fresh bing cherries
*Rachel and I have experimented with a variety of cocoa powders, our favorite is Hershey Special Dark Chocolate, “a blend of natural and Dutched cocoas.” It has a paper red ribbon towards the bottom of the container, usually only available at a big box grocery store.
**You can also use either dark or light brown sugar; the darker brown sugar gives the ice cream a richer flavor.
***We experimented with cutting calories with the milk, substituting skim milk and prepared powdered milk. The lighter milks made the ice cream not as rich, which was fine with me. I preferred something lighter for at least summer.
In terms of alterations, we have also tested adding miniature chocolate chips and substituting a spearmint flavor for the vanilla to make a mint chocolate chip ice cream. I was told by Rachel’s father that it was delicious, I never made it to the tasting step.
I did, however, taste test adding chopped Bing cherries in one batch and cut up fresh strawberries in another batch and would recommend those combinations.
How To Make Simple Chocolate Ice Cream
In a medium bowl, sift together the cocoa, sugars and salt. Add the milk and ,using a hand mixer on low speed, or a whisk, beat to combine until dry ingredients are dissolved.
Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla, or add another flavoring at this point.
Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours or overnight.
Turn ice cream maker on; pour the mixture into the frozen freezer bowl and let mix until thickened, 15-20 minutes. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture.
Add chocolate chips in the last minute or so. If you are adding fresh fruit, add that by hand and mix with a wooden spoon.
If you want a firmer consistency, transfer ice cream into an airtight container and place in freezer for a couple of hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.
Makes about 5 cups (10 1⁄2 cup servings) 268 calories per 1⁄2 cup serving, not counting anything else you may add.
Charlotte Ekker Wiggins is a certified gardener, beekeeper and sometimes cook. Copyright 2016 used with permission, all rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Contact Charlotte at chargardens@gmail.com.
READY FOR TASTING – After 20 minutes of churning, the chocolate ice cream is soft serve and ready to taste. Less calories than the basic vanilla recipe, too. (Photos by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins).
CHOCOLATE CUSTARD COOK – My niece, Rachel, dusts off her cooking skills during a summer visit by whipping up a batch of our favorite chocolate ice cream custard. Chocolate is one of her two favorite food groups along with cucumbers.
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