How to Make Chocolate Ice Cream

Learn how to make Chocolate Ice Cream from scratch with this easy to follow recipe. With an ultra creamy custard base and intense double chocolate flavor, this homemade ice cream will satisfy your sweet tooth all summer long.

Ice cream is the king of summer desserts. It ranks right up there with Peach Cobbler and Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp. If you’ve never tried your hand at homemade ice cream then you’re in for a real treat!

This chocolate ice cream recipe evokes summer memories as a child, playing outdoors for endless hours with all the kids in the neighborhood, and finishing the day with some of our favorite summer meals. At the end of the meal, my dad would bring out the old ice cream maker to whip up a batch of old-fashioned homemade ice cream. It seemed like we had to wait forever for the ice cream to get done churning!

Nowadays ice cream makers are much faster, taking only about 30 minutes to make a batch. However, homemade ice cream does have a number of steps that you need to follow that might make it feel complicated and induce all kinds of dessert anxiety. But is it worth it? A million times yes!

This dessert is sweet and creamy so you don’t need a big serving. It satisfies your sweet tooth and chocolate craving all at once. It’s really not that hard to make either.

What is Chocolate Ice Cream Made of?

The ingredients you need are simple and easy to find. This is your chocolate ice cream base and you can add any mix-ins you like.

• Heavy whipping cream
• Unsweetened Cocoa powder – it’s important to get a good quality product here, to get the best chocolate flavor.
• Semisweet chocolate – Again, quality is important.
• Whole milk – Do not substitute a lower fat milk. The fat is what helps to give this ice cream a smooth and creamy texture.
• Granulated sugar
• Egg yolks
• Salt
• Vanilla extract

How to Make Chocolate Ice Cream from Scratch

I’ll show you how to make ice cream with some step by step pictures so you can see how easy it is! Be sure to freeze the bowl of your ice cream maker at least 4 hours in advance. you’ll find the complete instructions in the printable recipe below.

1. Combine chocolate and cream. Pour into a bowl and set aside with a mesh strainer on top.
2. Make the custard. Be sure the whisk the eggs constantly during this process to ensure even incorporation. Cook the custard until it’s thick.
3. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir together with the chocolate/cream mixture.
4. Chill. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours, or up to a day.
5. Churn ice cream in your ice cream maker, following the manufacturer’s directions.

Top Recipe Tips

There are a few important tricks to get your ice cream to turn out thick and not too soft.

• Don’t forget to freeze the bowl of the ice cream maker. If it’s warm, your chocolate ice cream won’t set up properly. I just leave it in the freezer, that way it’s always ready to go!
• Thoroughly chill the ice cream mixture before processing it in your ice cream maker.
• Temper the egg yolks carefully. Whisk constantly to gently heat the yolks without cooking them.
• Upgrade your chocolate ice cream with mix-ins like chocolate chunks, peanut butter, sprinkles or even chopped up candy bars.

Do you Have to Use an Ice Cream Maker?

For this recipe, you need to have an ice cream maker. You will always get the best, creamiest and smoothest texture when you churn your homemade ice cream.

However, if you don’t have one and don’t want to buy one, try no churn Cookie Dough Ice Cream or no churn Pina Colada Ice Cream.

More Chilled Desserts

• Strawberry Ice Cream Cake
• Peanut Butter Cookie and Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
• 15 Cool No-Bake Summer Treats
• Cherry Limeade Ice Cream Float

Recipe

Chocolate Ice Cream

4.75 from 4 votes

Kristin Maxwell

Learn how to make Chocolate Ice Cream from scratch that has an ultra creamy custard base and intense double chocolate flavor.

Prep Time 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 8 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

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Equipment

• Ice Cream Maker

Ingredients

  

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Chocolate Ice Cream

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream divided
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 5 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 1 cup whole milk
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 5 large egg yolks
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

 

• Warm 1 cup of the cream with the cocoa powder in a medium saucepan, and blend thoroughly using a whisk. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 seconds at a very low boil, whisking constantly.
• Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Stir until smooth, then stir in the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top of the bowl. Set aside.
• In another saucepan, warm the milk, sugar, and salt over low heat. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then pour the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula. Scrape the bottom while stirring until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard mixture through the strainer and stir it into the chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and let cool.
• Chill the ice cream mixture in the refrigerator, then process it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.
• Pour churned ice cream into a 8 or 9-inch loaf pan and freeze to desired hardness.

Notes

• Use full fat ingredients for ultimate texture and smoothness.
• Add some mix-ins, like chopped candy pieces or peanut butter.

Keyword chocolate ice cream

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupsCalories: 440kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 5gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 208mgSodium: 44mgPotassium: 226mgFiber: 2gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 1095IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 2mg

Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.

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