Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream
This Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream is rich, creamy, and the perfect dessert for a warm summer evening!
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It’s one of the greatest debates in history. Nope, not the Yankees vs. Red Sox or Duke vs. Carolina. It’s not lefties vs. righties, either. It’s much easier than that. Chocolate vs. vanilla. There’s few things that can divide a group faster. I don’t mean like a heated, “them thar’s fightin’ words” divide…well, unless you’re really serious about your ice cream. Seriously, though. Think about it. Everyone has an opinion when you ask chocolate vs. vanilla. Of course, there’s always that one wise guy who answers butter pecan or rocky road…just because.
So where do you stand in the Great Debate? I personally side with vanilla. Wait, what? Why are you posting this Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream when you side with the enemy? Because my wife loves chocolate ice cream. And I like to make tasty treats for my wife. After all, what’s better than coming home from a long day at the office to find a bowl of fresh, homemade chocolate ice cream? Well, if you ask me, it would be a bowl of fresh, homemade vanilla ice cream. Ok, ok, I’ll admit that this chocolate ice cream is pretty darned delicious, too. If a bowl of this was sitting on the counter asking me to eat it, I would happily oblige!
So all this talk about chocolate vs. vanilla has brought up a key question. Why don’t they make vanilla syrup? You can drizzle chocolate syrup over vanilla ice cream, but you can’t drizzle vanilla syrup over chocolate ice cream. It’s a travesty! I think I need to create this product. I’ll call it my next million-dollar idea. It would require a lot of work with lots of taste testing and even more ice cream. But, I think I’m up to the challenge. Right after I finish another bowl of this Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream!
On a side note, if you don’t have an ice cream maker at home, then go get one. Seriously. We had one that I think I used once in like 5 years, but then I learned how to make ice cream. And now I can’t stop! Check out some of these other awesome ice creams: Roasted Almond + Coconut, Honey, Eggnog, and Cadbury Creme Egg.
Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 egg yolks lightly beaten
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate finely chopped
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place milk in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until it just begins to simmer.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, cocoa powder and egg yolks. Gradually pour about half of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking vigorously the entire time.
- Transfer egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the milk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and doesn't flow back together when separated with a wooden spoon. (~4-5 minutes).
- Remove mixture from the heat and add the chopped chocolate; stir until chocolate is fully melted.
- Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract; stir until well combined.
- Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly to the surface of the mixture. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- If you desire a firmer ice cream, transfer the finished ice cream into the freezer for a couple of hours.
Another awesome ice cream recipe — it’s becoming clear that my getting an ice cream maker for summer should be my top priority! YUM!
Absolutely, Mrs. Ninj! Summer is the perfect excuse for ice cream…and you totally need an ice cream maker. They aren’t all that expensive, and they are totally worth it when you think of all of the delicious flavor inventions you can make. 🙂
Ack! Don’t give away your ideas! I seriously think Vanilla Syrup is an amazing idea…you could use it for other things besides ice cream, too. You need to develop that!
So I was trying to see which side of the chocolate/vanilla debate I come down on and realized I can’t decide. When I was little, I would refuse anything but a vanilla cone (Dairy Queen! Why don’t we really have those around here?) Now, of course, I love chocolate. But vanilla is still sooooo good. That’s why they are best in combination. Vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup or chocolate ice cream with vanilla syrup. Or strawberry ice cream with vanilla syrup. Strawberries and vanilla cream….mmmmmm. I really think we need that vanilla syrup soon….
Hahaha, Judy! I totally would love to develop Vanilla Syrup…but I think it might be more than a 1-man effort? Want to join in on the venture? 🙂
And yes, I’ve always been a vanilla kind of guy. French vanilla is my favorite, but vanilla bean (with the actual beans in it) is right up there in close 2nd. Now I want a vanilla ice cream cone!! Too bad we don’t have a Dairy Queen around the corner…
Absolutely. I am signing up for the taste-testing department. 😉
Be careful what you wish for, Judy!! Haha!
Hey ~ where did you get the ice cream cone holder?
Hey! That “ice cream cone holder” is actual a small vase that I picked up at Michael’s some years back. 🙂
I was sold at chocolate and now I wish I had an ice cream maker. Really need to invest in one. Your ice cream looks delish
Oh, you totally do need to invest in an ice cream maker, Chichi! They aren’t all that expensive I don’t think, and homemade ice cream is so incredible!!
Dude I want some of that ice-cream, right now! Looks too good to pass up…
And great pictures too!
Thanks, Mike! I may or may not have just had a bowl of ice cream for dessert. And I may or may not want another one now.
I would choose chocolate in the big debate… or vanilla with some hot fudge sauce…Yum!
It’s hard to beat chocolate, Laura…unless it’s vanilla! 🙂 Seriously, though, I love all ice cream…no matter the flavor!
Wow, David this ice cream looks so good!! Summer time is perfect for bringing out the ice cream maker. We take ours with us in vacation to the beach. It’s so fun to make a fresh batch and then enjoy after being in the sun. Chocolate is definitely my favorite flavor! Pinning!!
Thank you so much, Cindy! I’ve never thought about bringing the ice cream maker along on vacation…I’ll have to start doing that now. Enjoy the warmer temps!!
I do love vanilla – but if a bowl of this was sitting on the kitchen counter it would be gone in 10 seconds flat (or less if I hear my daughter walking into the room as somethings are not meant to be shared)!!! Hey, if you need help with taste testing your vanilla syrup (BRILLIANT idea btw) – ship ’em down here to HOTLANTA and I will gladly oblige…just saying 🙂
Haha…I’ll put you on the official Taste Tasters list for the vanilla syrup, Shashi! It’s a million dollar idea I say! And yes, some things are just not meant to be shared. I’m working on a dessert bar post for tomorrow…and I may or may not want to hide them in the back of the fridge. 🙂
it looks amazing!
Thank you so much, Dina!!
There’s a reason that I eat twist cones, Dave…. I’m like Sweden. NO enemies! 😀
Your chocolate loving wife and my chocolate loving husband will get along fabulously whilst you and scarf down the vanilla!
Hahaha…you are such a cheater, Becca!! I would totally scarf down that vanilla cone…and then look around for another one. 🙂 Oh, and congrats on being featured on the Social Fabric email…I just saw your pies in that email!
Thanks so much, my friend! It was a shocking surprise to see it featured! 🙂
Right now I am craving ice cream so bad! I need to give this ice cream a shot asap!
You totally do need to give this ice cream a shot…nothing beats a bowl of homemade ice cream at the end of a summer day!!
I used to like the chocolate brownie with chocolate ice cream and chocolate syrup….at Howard Johnsons back in the 80’s.
But I do respect a good French Vanilla. 🙂
Woah…that triple chocolate monster that you described sounds amazing, SueAnn. I kind of want to eat it for breakfast with my morning coffee. Is that allowed??
Yummmmmm adding to grocery list. Chocolate ice cream – best flavor ever !!!
I make my own vanilla syrup – so yummy, just put in mason jar in fridge 🙂
Have you been to Jumpin Jacks yet this year ?? Gosh I miss going there, getting ice cream and then walking across road to sit under trees at edge of Collin’s park. It was always a treat when Daddy took us there, especially when they had the ski shows.
Thanks for the recipe !!!
Mar
Hey there, Mar! Chocolate ice cream really is quite tasty…although I still have to admit that I’ll usually pick a good vanilla bean over chocolate. Vanilla syrup, eh? Sounds interesting…and delicious!
So we haven’t been over to Jumpin Jacks yet this year. I recall Laura telling me they had opened for the year, but we need to make our way there. I don’t think I’ve ever had their ice cream, and I clearly need to fix that problem soon! 🙂
Oh, and my apologies on the delayed response here. We were out of the country on vacation, and I’m just now getting caught back up on email/comments…albeit still a bit jetlagged. Hah! Thanks so much, my friend!
HI
I’m choc all the way, though on occasion, I would get choc/van swirl at jumpin jacks – haven’t been there in at least fifteen years, always closed time we would drive through on way to Brant lake.
Have a cone for me 🙂
I hope you all had a nice vacation – welcome back !
You know, I must admit that chocolate-vanilla swirl was always one of my favorites as a kid. I might have to revisit that idea…and don’t worry, I’ll eat a cone for you! 🙂 We did indeed have a nice vacation…and now I want to go back on vacation again. Haha! Have a great long weekend, Mar!