Choco-coma

So, my boy wanted to make ice cream last week. Though we've made ice cream many times a Summer for all the Summers he's been alive, he had no memory of the machine that sits most of the year in the dark recesses of the most inaccessible cupboard in our kitchen. Go figure. This selective memory of his made the experience all the more novel and exciting. He acted as though we were practicing some kind of alchemy by making our own ice cream at home. This actually made it pretty fun, and unlike so many of the projects that start with the words "Mom, how about we make ________," and end with me completing all but the very first step alone, he was excited to be a part of the entire process.

In the days leading up to the actual ice cream-making, I had him peruse David Lebovitz's Perfect Scoop, and told him that he could choose whichever recipe took his fancy. He chose chocolate with the slight modification suggested by Lebovitz: the addition of peppermint patties. To be specific, he asks for 2 cups of crumbled patties to be added at the end of the churning. Now let's be clear, most home ice cream makers will produce a very scant quart of ice cream. My spidey sense was tingling, knowing that I would have seriously high ratio of candy to ice cream. Did I err on the side of caution and, with an adult's palate, cut down said ratio? Of course not. Was this a big mistake? It sure was.

This chocolate ice cream recipe is one of the richest, most intensely flavored I have ever eaten. People, I have never left an ice cream cone unfinished in my life. I served this ice cream (on homemade cones, no less) to seven people, three of them nine-year-olds, and only one person actually finished their cone. The first licks were met with astounding praise and gustatorial glee, but about half way through, we all had to admit defeat. As much as I cringe at the ridiculously named "Death by Chocolate" desserts, this may have finished us off if my friends and I were slightly more gluttonous than we already are.

Now I know what you're thinking: "Gosh, Jennie, I can't wait to dust off the old ice-cream maker and give this one a whirl!" I've made it sound like such a slam dunk, haven't I? But really, this is a case of taking a really good thing, and going too far. Gilding the lily, if you will. Do I recommend this recipe for chocolate ice cream? Wholeheartedly! Have I asked too many questions in this post? Most definitely! 

I also wanted to share the story as a cautionary tale. If your culinary wits tell you that something doesn't sound quite right in a recipe (even if it's from a highly-regarded chef), you might just want to trust yourself. 

Chocolate Ice Cream

adapted from David Lebovitz's Perfect Scoop

2 cups heavy cream

3 tbs. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

5 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (Without going overboard, quality is important. I used Guittard), in chunks or chopped

1 cup milk

3/4 cup sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

5 large egg yolks

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Warm 1 cup of the cream with the cocoa powder in a medium saucepan. Whisking constantly, bring just to the boil. Remove saucepan from heat, then add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Add the final cup of cream, stir, and pour the mixture into a medium-sized bowl.

Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in the same saucepan. In a separate bowl whisk the yolks. When the milk is hot to the touch, slowly pour it into the bowl with the yolks, whisking quickly to avoid curdling. Scrape the egg mixture back into the saucepan.

Cook this mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heat-proof spatula, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spatula. Do not let it boil. Pour the hot egg mixture through a fine-meshed strainer directly into your chocolate mixture. Stir the two together to combine well, and finally add the vanilla. Place in an ice bath to cool, or if you have several hours, place in the refrigerator to cool. This is essential for home ice cream makers. Do not skip this step or your ice cream maker will make little more than a runny mess.

Place the chilled mixture in your ice cream maker, and proceed according to its instructions.

Suggested addition: 1/8 tsp. of mint oil or extract. A little goes a long way, and cuts through the richness of this ice cream.