homemade dark chocolate fudge ice cream

I like my ice cream dark. Dark and fudgey. Chocolate ice cream from the grocery store really doesn’t interest me. It’s this barely brown stuff that (I suppose) tastes a bit like chocolate. When I eat ice cream, I want something dark and rich and creamy and amazing. So a few years ago I went on a hunt for a really rich homemade dark chocolate ice cream recipe, and I’ve finally found it.

If you’ve never made homemade ice cream, you should. And not just the no-churn kind (which, while it’s yummy and easy, can’t quite compare with the real thing).

This ice cream isn’t hard to make, but it does take a couple of steps. First off, you’ll need to make the ice cream base, which is what you pour into your ice cream machine. Making the base will take 20-30 minutes, and then the base must be refrigerated until it’s very cold, which will take 5-6 hours, so be sure to plan ahead.

After the base is chilled, you can freeze it according to the manufacturer’s directions on your ice cream maker. This recipe makes one and a half quarts of ice cream, which is perfect for the smaller countertop ice cream makers that don’t require ice. If you  have a larger, standard ice cream maker (which uses ice and salt), you’ll want to double the recipe. (Looking for an ice cream maker? If you’re ok with making smaller batches – like a quart and a half at a time – this is a great model.)

You can eat the ice cream straight out of the ice cream maker if you like. It will be delicious and soft, about the consistency of soft serve. It you prefer hard ice cream, you’ll want to pop it into the freezer for an hour or two after it comes out of the machine.

Since the recipe does have a couple of steps, I’ve made a video that shows you the entire process. That way, there won’t be any guesswork.

Let’s Make

Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

4.75 from 4 votes

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Chill Time: 6 hours hrs

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Ingredients

• 1 cup Whipping Cream
• 2 cups 2% Milk divided
• 4 tablespoons Unsweetened Baking Cocoa heaping
• 6 oz 60% or darker chocolate chips 1 cup
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 5 Egg Yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

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Equipment

• Ice Cream Maker

Instructions

• In a medium pot, heat cream and unsweetened cocoa over medium heat, whisking until well combined.
• When edges begin to bubble, remove from heat and add chocolate chips.
• Let them sit for a few minutes to melt, then stir until smooth.
• Whisk in one cup of milk. Pour mixture into a large bowl and set aside.
• Heat remaining cup of milk, sugar, and salt in a medium pot over medium heat, stirring until combined.
• While that continues to heat, separate 5 eggs, discarding whites. Whisk yolks.
• Pour all the eggs back into the warm milk, whisking well.
• Continue to heat mixture until it starts to thicken. When it's thick enough to coat a metal spoon, remove from heat and pour milk/egg mixture over the chocolate mixture.
• Add vanilla and stir until completely combined.
• Cover mixture and chill in the fridge for 5-6 hours until cold.
• Freeze according to ice cream maker instructions.

Course: Dessert

Enjoy!