Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Amazing chocolate flavor without being bitter or overwhelming.
Texture: Perfectly rich, luscious, and creamy. The slightly chewy and thick fudge swirl just takes it to a new level!
Ease: This is a custard-based chocolate ice cream recipe, so there are a few extra steps and waiting periods involved. I promise it’s worth it!
Pros: Possibly the best chocolate ice cream recipe ever.
Cons: Requires patience.
Would I make this again? Oh yeah. Without a doubt!
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You’re going to love this homemade Death by Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe. Did you know that I published a cookbook all about homemade ice cream sandwiches a few years ago?
I tested *hundreds* of batches of ice cream and got to the point where I was convinced I could have made perfect ice cream in my sleep. Writing a cookbook is a crazy whirlwind undertaking and now I have flashbacks to those messy, stressful, wonderful days any time I make ice cream. I actually made so much ice cream back then that I had to buy another freezer!
Oh, and there was that time during the middle of the cookbook photoshoot at my house where my AC went out. In the middle of summer. In Phoenix, Arizona. Shooting ice cream in 100°F weather is something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemies…
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SO, basically what I’m saying is that whenever I share an ice cream recipe, you know that I’ve got you covered. It’s gonna be good! This Death by Chocolate Ice Cream recipe is for serious chocoholics only.
How to Make Death by Chocolate Ice Cream
Ingredients for Death by Chocolate Ice Cream:
- Whole milk plus heavy cream – The base for our ice cream. Be sure to use full-fat dairy.
- Granulated sugar – The KEY to creamy ice cream! Like the fat, the sugar also helps to create a smooth, creamy texture, and scoopable ice cream. If you reduce the sugar you’ll make an ice cream that’s brittle and icy. Learn more about the role sugar plays in typical baking in my article here.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process – For a rich chocolate flavor.
- Fine sea salt – To balance the sweetness.
- Vanilla extract – For flavor.
- Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate – Melted, for even more rich chocolate flavor!
- Eggs – More on this below.
Ingredients for Chocolate Fudge Swirl:
- Heavy cream and unsalted butter – To form the base of our fudge swirl and create a fantastic texture.
- Sugars – Both granulated sugar and light brown sugar, for sweetness and flavor, and also prevent sugar crystallization.
- Semisweet chocolate chips – Because chocolate! You can use darker chocolate instead, if you prefer.
- Fine salt – To balance the sweetness.
- Vanilla extract – For flavor.
Why Custard-Based Ice Cream?
Generally, there are two types of homemade ice creams.
- American/Philadelphia-Style Ice Cream: This contains no eggs or cooking, and is made by combining milk, cream, sugar, and flavorings, then churning in an ice cream maker. This is quicker and easier than custard-based ice cream – but less rich and tends to get icy in the freezer.
- French/Custard-Based Ice Cream: This involves cooking a custard with eggs to a safe temperature slowly on the stovetop, letting that cool then chill completely, then churning in an ice cream maker. The result is an ultra-rich, creamy, and smooth ice cream. This is the method we’re using for our Death by Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe.
How to Make Custard-Based Ice Cream
I have a full step-by-step video tutorial on how to make custard-based ice cream here. If you’ve never made custard ice cream before, I highly suggest you watch it before making this recipe! Here are some more tips:
- Prepare the ice bath before you cook the custard, so you can immediately remove it from the heat and strain it into the ice bath. This stops the cooking process, preventing the custard from becoming overcooked. Overcooked custard will curdle.
- Be careful when tempering the egg yolks. Whisk constantly as you slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the beaten yolks. This process allows you to gently heat the yolks so you don’t scramble them and end up with chunky ice cream.
- For best results, use an instant-read thermometer to cook the custard to 175°F, or until the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon. If the mix is off by a couple of degrees, that’s fine.
- Whatever you do, do not stop stirring, and do not let it boil.
Why Use Eggs In Ice Cream?
Using eggs in ice cream results in an ultra-rich, thick, creamy, and smooth homemade chocolate ice cream.
Always Use Full-Fat Dairy for Ice Cream!
Do not substitute low-fat dairy products in this recipe. The fat in the cream and whole milk help give the ice cream its luxuriously smooth and soft texture. If you use low-fat dairy products, the ice cream will become hard and icy.
HOW TO CHURN HOMEMADE ICE CREAM
How to Make Ice Cream With an Ice Cream Machine
- I used my trusty Cuisinart Ice Cream machine to churn this Death by Chocolate Ice Cream. I’ve made literally hundreds of batches of ice cream in this machine and it’s never failed me.
- If you’re using a machine like this, just make sure the freezer bowl is COMPLETELY frozen – otherwise, you’ll end up with soup instead of ice cream. I like to freeze mine overnight just to be sure.
- Also make sure your custard mixture is completely chilled before churning, for the same reason. Everything needs to be cold cold cold. Then, proceed with the manufacturer’s instructions.
How to Make Ice Cream WITHOUT a Machine
Although using an ice cream machine is the easiest way to get beautifully rich and creamy ice cream, I’ve got you covered if you don’t have one. I have a full video tutorial showing you three ways to make ice cream without a machine here.
How to Store & Serve Death by Chocolate Ice Cream
Store the ice cream in an airtight container with a sheet of plastic wrap pressed against the surface. This will help prevent ice from forming. The longer you freeze the more time the flavors will have to ripen.
If the ice cream is in the freezer for an extended period of time, let it sit in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before scooping so it can soften evenly. Remember, this is homemade stuff so there are no stabilizers or softening agents in it! This ice cream scoop makes even the hardest ice cream scoop like butter. Store for up to 2 weeks in the freezer – though I doubt it’ll last that long!
More Ice Cream Recipes to Try:
Death by Chocolate Ice Cream
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Ingredients
For the ice cream:
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup (25 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process, sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces (227 grams) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted
- 4 large egg yolks
For the fudge swirl:
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (85 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the ice cream:
- Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice cubes and 1 to 2 cups of water. Place a medium bowl fitted with a fine strainer inside the ice bath.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, 1/2 cup sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla. Set over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is warm and begins to steam, about 5 minutes. Stir in the melted chocolate.
- Whisk together the egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Carefully whisk half of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, one ladleful at a time, until the egg mixture is warmed. Whisk the egg-milk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and registers around 175°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 to 7 minutes. Be careful not to boil the mixture.
- Immediately strain the mixture through the fine strainer into the prepared ice bath. Cool the custard in the ice bath until it reaches room temperature, stirring often. Press plastic wrap against the surface of the custard and refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours or up to 1 day.
Make the fudge swirl:
- Heat the cream, butter, and sugars in a small saucepan over low heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips. Let stand for 3 minutes before stirring until completely smooth. Stir in the salt and vanilla. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before using. Fudge swirl can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before using.
Finish the ice cream:
- Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container in batches, spooning the fudge swirl in between layers of ice cream in a swirled pattern. Press plastic wrap against the surface of the ice cream and freeze until it is firm, about 3 hours, before serving.
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I’ve made 20 or 30 different chocolate ice cream recipes over the years. This is one of my two favorites. It is creamy and dense and chocolatey, everything you could ask for.
So happy to hear that, Mike!
Haven’t made it yet, but I don’t have an ice cream maker. Is there an alternative?
Yes! Tessa shares how to make ice cream without a machine in the tip section just above the recipe here 🙂
I wish I took a picture before everyone gobbled it down. Hands down the best homemade ice cream I’ve ever had! Well worth the extra effort to make the custard base
I made this and chilled overnight and it’s like fudge pudding. Can I warm to room temp, add whipping cream or do something to loosen the mixture. I put in machine core and it immediately froze to the sides and machine couldn’t churn it. It is darn delicious though!
I just made this and it’s also so thick like pudding. I’m worried it’s not going to churn well
I’ve made this custard and chilled overnight—it’s like pudding—there’s no churning this—it immediately froze to the core of the machine. Can I just add some whipping cream and stir to loosen, then try to churn?
I’ve made this several times with the same consistency problem. I DID successfully add additional whipping cream cream. I did this while it was churning and could only add a bit more than one cup of plain whipping cream due to the size limitation of my machine. The ice cream was still incredibly chocolatey, delicious and a great texture.