Decadent Double Chocolate Chip Ice Cream: Your Easy Homemade No-Churn Recipe Guide
For years, my journey into the delightful world of homemade ice cream was primarily focused on traditional, egg-based custard recipes. While undeniably delicious, these methods often involve a delicate dance of tempering eggs, constant stirring, and a longer overall preparation time. I’d often heard whispers and seen recipes for a simpler approach: ice cream made with sweetened condensed milk. A can of this magical ingredient had been patiently waiting in my pantry, a testament to my intention, but time always seemed to slip away before I could dive into it.
This all changed thanks to a fun monthly event I host called The Secret Recipe Club. Each month, members are secretly assigned another participant’s blog, tasked with choosing a recipe, making it, and then blogging about their experience. The catch? No one reveals their assignment or creation until a synchronized “reveal day,” adding an exciting element of mystery to the culinary adventure. My assignment for this particular month led me to Veronica’s wonderful blog, My Catholic Kitchen. Veronica’s blog is a treasure trove of inviting recipes, and as I perused her collection, a recipe titled Saint Valentine’s Chocolate Ice Cream immediately caught my eye. It was exactly the kind of sweetened condensed milk-based ice cream I had been yearning to try!
My love for chocolate ice cream runs deep, and I knew that Veronica’s original recipe would be fantastic as written. However, I’m always one to explore how I can elevate a dish, adding my personal touch and enhancing the flavors. With this chocolate ice cream base, I envisioned a truly decadent experience. I decided to introduce a deeper chocolate essence into the custard itself, using a bit more unsweetened cocoa powder to intensify that rich, dark chocolate flavor. To add an extra layer of sophisticated aroma and taste, I incorporated a hint of almond extract – a pairing that beautifully complements chocolate, bringing out its complexities without overpowering it. But the ultimate enhancement, the true “kick up a notch,” came from the inclusion of homemade chocolate chips.
Now, when I say “homemade chocolate chips,” I’m not referring to simply tossing in a bag of store-bought morsels. While convenient, pre-packaged chocolate chips can sometimes become overly hard or waxy when frozen in ice cream. Instead, I opted for a technique known as “stracciatella.” This method, derived from the Italian word “stracciato,” meaning “torn apart,” involves a more artisanal approach to creating chocolate inclusions. The process is both simple and incredibly effective: you melt down high-quality bittersweet chocolate and, just as your ice cream is finishing its churn in the machine and reaching a soft-serve consistency, you drizzle the warm, melted chocolate directly into the churning mixture. The cold of the ice cream instantly hardens the drizzled chocolate, which is then beautifully broken into irregular, delicate shards and chips by the rotating paddle. The result is a delightful textural contrast and an intense burst of fresh chocolate flavor with every spoonful, far superior to anything you’d get from pre-made chips.
I was, quite frankly, utterly smitten with the outcome of this ice cream. The consistency achieved with this sweetened condensed milk base is remarkably creamy, smooth, and utterly luxurious – a quality that can sometimes be challenging to perfectly achieve with more temperamental egg custard recipes. The ease of preparation, coupled with the phenomenal taste and texture, has left me genuinely excited. This simplified method opens up a world of possibilities for experimenting with various flavors and combinations, and I’m already planning my next homemade frozen treat. It’s truly a delicious revelation!
adapted from Saint Valentine’s Chocolate Ice Cream
Double Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
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Ingredients
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (This is the key to our creamy, no-churn base!)
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (For a rich, intense chocolate flavor in the base.)
- 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (Adds depth to the chocolate base.)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream (Contributes to the luxurious, thick texture.)
- 1 cup light cream (Balances the richness of the heavy cream.)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (Enhances all the sweet flavors.)
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (Our secret ingredient for an extra layer of flavor that beautifully complements chocolate!)
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate (For the delightful homemade stracciatella chips.)
Instructions
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Begin by pouring the entire can of sweetened condensed milk into a medium-sized saucepan. Next, carefully measure out the unsweetened cocoa powder and sift it directly into the condensed milk. Sifting is crucial here to prevent any lumps, ensuring a perfectly smooth chocolate base. Whisk these two ingredients together thoroughly until well combined. Place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for about ten minutes. This gentle cooking process will allow the mixture to become smooth, deeply flavored, and slightly thickened. Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Break the 2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate into small pieces and add them to the hot milk mixture. Whisk vigorously until the chocolate has completely melted and is fully incorporated, leaving you with a silky, rich chocolate base. Set this mixture aside to cool down a bit; it doesn’t need to be cold, just not piping hot.
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In a large measuring cup or bowl, gently combine the heavy whipping cream, light cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract. To ensure a seamless blend with the chocolate mixture, it’s a good idea to take the chill off this cream mixture. You can do this by warming it slightly in the microwave for up to one minute, just enough so it’s not refrigerator-cold. This step helps prevent the chocolate from seizing or becoming lumpy when the two mixtures are combined.
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Now for the careful combining step. With a slow and steady hand, gradually drizzle the slightly warmed cream mixture into your chocolate mixture while continuously whisking. This gentle incorporation is key to maintaining a smooth, homogenous base. As you whisk, use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to scrape down the sides and corners of the saucepan, ensuring all the chocolate mixture is fully integrated. Continue whisking until the entire mixture is perfectly smooth and uniform. To guarantee the silkiest ice cream, pour the combined mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Discard any tiny bits or remaining cocoa particles caught in the sieve. This extra step guarantees an incredibly smooth texture, free of any imperfections.
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate the mixture until it is thoroughly chilled. This typically takes at least 4 hours, but ideally overnight, to ensure it’s perfectly cold for churning. Once chilled, process the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s specific directions. Follow their guidelines for optimal freezing results, as machines can vary.
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To create the exquisite chocolate stracciatella, prepare your melted chocolate just before the ice cream churning process is complete. Melt the 4 ounces of bittersweet chocolate in the microwave at half power, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth and fluid. Watch it closely to prevent burning. Once the ice cream in your machine has reached a thick, soft-serve consistency, carefully drizzle the melted chocolate onto the almost-churned ice cream. Be very mindful not to drizzle the chocolate directly onto the paddle of the ice cream maker, as this can cause it to stick and clump. The goal is to let it hit the cold ice cream base.
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If you are using a manual ice cream maker or if your machine allows, empty the churned ice cream into the freezer-safe container where you intend to store it. Drizzle a portion of the melted chocolate over the ice cream, then use a rubber spatula to gently fold it in. As the warm chocolate hits the cold ice cream, it will instantly harden and break into irregular, delicious chips and shards – this is the magic of stracciatella! Repeat the process of drizzling and gently folding until all the melted chocolate has been incorporated into the ice cream. For larger chocolate pieces, you can use the end of your spatula to break them down further if desired. Once all the stracciatella is mixed in, cover the container tightly and freeze until the ice cream is firm and ready to scoop. Enjoy your incredibly rich and creamy double chocolate chip ice cream!
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
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