magic chocolate ice cream

really. it is magic.


we used to have an ice cream maker and i dutifully pulled it out every summer to churn out some of the homemade stuff. it was always good and usually eaten in a day. then about two years ago i discovered the canister had sprung a leak. it was one of those freeze the canister for 24 hours then churn type of machines. of course we could buy a replacement canister... just haven't gotten around to it. since then i've always wondered if i could cheat and make ice cream without the ice cream maker. maybe just whip up some heavy cream and fold it into a custard or some other base and just freeze it as is. i always wondered...


then. then i picked up the "summer entertaining" special from cooks illustrated and what do you know, but those geniuses came up with a recipe for no ice cream maker ice cream. what? how did they know?! can it really be that creamy? can it?! i doubted. but i had to try it out and let me tell you, those folks just don't disappoint. 


instead of using a custard based ice cream, this recipe combines sweetened condensed milk and melted chocolate then whipped cream folded into the mix. then freeze. that's it! here's how it goes together:


1 tsp instant coffee or espresso powder
1 T hot water
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/2 c sweetened condensed milk
1/2 t vanilla extract
pinch salt
1 1/4 c cold heavy cream

first, combine the instant coffee or espresso powder and hot water. or, if you're like me and hate to run out and buy just one thing i probably won't have much use for, combine 1 T ground coffee with 1 T hot milk. let dissolve (or steep) for 5 mins. i'm sure the espresso powder is better, so you should probably do that. or not. i won't tell.

combine the chocolate and sweetened condensed milk and espresso (or strained milk coffee) and microwave until melted, stirring every 10 seconds..

stir in vanilla and salt.

while that cools, whip the cream to soft peaks.

in a large bowl, whisk together chocolate mixture and 1/3 of the whipped cream until combined.

then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream.

pour into a freezer-safe container and freeze for 6 hours.

ack! 6 hours?! it'll be worth it, i promise! to hold you over, lick the bowl clean. i won't judge. once those 6 long excruciating hours have passed... scoop and swoon... 

it doesn't hurt to have a warm chocolate chip cookie on hand.