The Most Amazing Chocolate Ice Cream

 Our 27th wedding anniversary this last weekend, the fall equinox and a visit from our friends Rex and Margaret, all conspired to inspire me to make this dark chocolate ice cream. Rex is a committed chocoholic, he prefers the term "connoisseur";-)
Each time he comes to visit I try to make some outrageous chocolate dessert. With our recent garage sale find of the Cuisinart  ice cream maker, this was a natural choice. For Rex the darker chocolate the better !! I was so impressed with how creamy and rich this recipe was.

Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 cup whole milk

2 egg yolks

2 cups heavy  whipping cream

1/3 cup  cocoa powder

2/3 cup sugar

6 ounces of dark chocolate, chopped (I used Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Bar)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1) Coarsely chop the six ounces of dark chocolate.

2) Separate  and whisk together two egg yolks in a medium size bowl.

3) Pour the whipping cream, milk and sugar into a heavy bottom saucepan. To add the cocoa powder I used a sieve to prevent lumps.

4) Whisk all those ingredients and heat over medium high heat until just boiling.

5) Remove the pan from the heat and add the chopped chocolate in three batches. Make sure it has all melted before adding the next batch.

6) Slowly add a 1/4 cup of the hot chocolate mixture to the egg yolks. Once it is well combined slowly add the remaining chocolate mixture.

7) Return to the stove. Stir over medium heat  until it begins to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes.

8) Remove from the heat and add one teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon salt. 
Mix those in. I allow this to cool a bit before putting it into the fridge to chill.

 9) Best to cool it over night or 5-6 hours before churning. The mixture will thicken as it cools, which is great.

10) Follow the instruction on whatever ice cream machine you have. I love mine, it makes ice cream way too easy !!

11) After churning the ice cream, I stored it in the freezer to serve later that evening.

Here's how happy Rex was with his ice cream.

Look at the cute cookies Margaret made us for our 27th wedding anniversary.