Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients:

-2 cups heavy cream

-1 cup whole milk

-5 egg yolks

-3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

-1/4 cup raw cane sugar (this is my preferred amount for a very -bittersweet ice cream, increase the amount up to half a cup, depending on your preference!)

-5 oz. dark chocolate, chopped into pieces the size of chocolate chips (I used 85% dark chocolate, use what you have!)

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-Large pinch of sea salt

Really wish I had a better picture of this ice cream lol

Method:

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, whisk together 1 cup cream and the cocoa powder until combined. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, for 30 seconds.

Remove the cream and cocoa powder from the heat, and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is melted.

Next, add the remaining 1 cup cream, then pour mixture into a large bowl.

In the same saucepan you used before, whisk together the milk, sugar and salt over medium heat until the mixture is hot, but not simmering (you should be able to hold a finger comfortably in the mixture.)

In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth, then slowly pour in about half of the milk mixture, whisking the entire time you’re pouring. Next, whisk the egg yolk and milk mixture back into the remaining milk in the saucepan.

Over medium heat, bring this mixture up to 170 degrees, whisking the entire time. An instant read thermometer is helpful here. Remove from heat once it reaches 170.

Set a fine mesh strainer over the chocolate mixture, and pour the egg yolk custard through the strainer onto the chocolate mixture. Whisk until smooth, and add the vanilla extract.

Chill the ice cream base for a few hours or overnight, then pour into your ice cream maker, churning according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. I have an old cuisinart ice cream maker that takes about 10-15 minutes to churn ice cream into a soft serve consistency.

Once the ice cream has been churned into a soft serve consistency, pack the ice cream into suitable containers and freeze until firm. This ice cream will become quite solid when frozen, so consider removing it from the freezer 15 or so minutes before scooping.