Chocolate ice cream

You all know that I think ice cream is a year-round treat. I mean, it's the middle of winter, and here I am again with another ice cream recipe. Would you expect anything less?

It was that time again when my husband not-so-gently reminded me that our homemade ice cream supply was dwindling. He proclaimed that he wanted a chocolate-chocolate ice cream. Rather than repeat a recipe, I opted to make another one of David Lebovitz's concoctions to see how it stacked up.

As predicted, his chocolate ice cream was nothing short of divine. His recipe includes both cocoa powder and chopped chocolate to give it a beautiful, deep chocolate color and flavor. If you like your ice cream more on the sweet side, use chopped semisweet chocolate. Like David's other custard-based frozen treats, this one was smooth and creamy and is reminiscent of a perfect summer day. While this chocolate ice cream was incredibly good, my favorite is still this dark chocolate ice cream that I made last year. That recipe calls for 6 egg yolks and a pain-inducing 5-day waiting period. If you're impatient like me and want your ice cream sooner, try this one from David Lebovitz - he hasn't disappointed me yet.


Chocolate ice cream

• 2 cups heavy cream, divided
• 3 TBSP unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Dark)
• 5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
In a medium saucepan, heat 1 cup of the heavy cream and the cocoa powder over medium heat. Constantly whisk the mixture to evenly incorporate the cocoa powder. Let the mixture come to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Allow the cream to boil at the low heat for 30 seconds while you continue to stir.

Remove the mixture from the heat and add in the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth. Then add the remaining 1 cup of cream and stir. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top of the bowl.

In the same saucepan, heat up the milk, sugar and salt. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Temper the yolks by pouring a bit of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks and keep whisking. Pour the yolks into the saucepan.

Keep stirring the milk and yolks over medium heat with a heatproof spatula until it thickens enough to coat the back of your spatula.  Pour the custard through the strainer and into the chocolate and cream mixture in the large bowl.  Stir the mixture a few times and then whisk in the vanilla.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator (preferably overnight) and then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. You can add in peppermint patties, chocolate chips or chunks, or even marshmallows and roasted peanuts to jazz it up a bit.

Yield: About one quart

Source: The Perfect Scoop, by David Lebovitz, page 26