My husband is obsessed with everything chocolate, from soft chocolate chip cookies and fudgy brownies to French silk pie. Surprisingly, chocolate ice cream is lower on his list of treats than you would expect. Part of the reason is most chocolate ice creams aren’t chocolaty enough for him. They taste vaguely like the idea of chocolate, landing somewhere in the vicinity but not quite on the mark.

But my homemade chocolate ice cream hits the target every time. And although I love the ease of the Philadelphia-style chocolate ice cream, because I grew up in St. Louis where frozen custard is king, chocolate ice cream with an egg-enriched base just hits differently. The secret is using a higher-quality cocoa powder as well as a chopped dark chocolate that you like eating out of hand. Swapping out the cocoa powder from natural to Dutch-process means you also get a bit of a choose-your-own-adventure ice cream, where each ending is equally delicious.

Why you’ll love it

Key ingredients in chocolate ice cream

Helpful swaps

If you don’t have corn syrup or don’t want to use it, you can substitute honey, which is a natural invert sugar. Keep in mind that honey might impart a slight honey flavor to the ice cream. You can also omit the corn syrup completely. The resulting ice cream will be stiffer, harder to scoop, and have a slightly icier texture. Just remove the ice cream from the freezer and let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes, to soften it a bit and make it easier to serve.

Storage and make-ahead tips

Chocolate Ice Cream

Serves 4

5 large egg yolks

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)

1 cup whole milk, divided

2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon light corn syrup (optional)

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (not chocolate chips), chopped into rough 1/2-inch pieces

1. If your ice cream machine has a bowl that needs to be frozen before churning, put it in the freezer the night before you plan to churn the ice cream.

2. Whisk five large egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract together in a large heatproof bowl.

3. Sift 1/4 cup cocoa powder into a large saucepan. Whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon instant espresso powder if using. Whisk in 1/4 cup of the whole milk until smooth, adding a splash more milk if the paste seems too thick to dissolve all the cocoa (do not add all the milk at once).

4. Add the remaining 3/4 cup whole milk, 2 cups heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon light corn syrup if using. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with the whisk (do not whisk vigorously), until it reaches a bare simmer.

5. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Drizzle about 1/2 cup of the cocoa mixture into the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Repeat whisking in another 1/2 cup of the cocoa mixture.

6. Scrape all of the egg mixture into the saucepan with the chocolate cream. Cook over medium-low temperature, stirring constantly, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon and it holds a line when you swipe your finger through it (about 170 F; do not let it come to a simmer).

7. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in 4 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate until the chocolate is completely melted.

8. Cover the saucepan. Refrigerate overnight or for up to two days. (Alternatively, for same day-churning, see note for how to cool the base down in an ice bath.)

9. Stir the base, then transfer it to the bowl of the ice cream machine. Churn according to the ice cream machine instructions until it is thickened to a soft-serve consistency, 20 to 35 minutes. Eat immediately if you prefer a soft-serve texture. For hard ice cream, transfer to an airtight container or loaf pan, press a sheet of parchment or wax paper pressed against the surface, then freeze until solid, at least eight hours. If frozen solid, let sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften before scooping.

Recipe note: If you do not have time to refrigerate the ice cream base, it can be cooled in an ice bath. Transfer the base into a gallon resealable plastic bag, press out the excess air, and seal the bag. Submerge the bag in a large bowl of ice water, adding more ice to the bowl as needed, until well chilled, about an hour.

(Irvin Lin is a contributor to TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)

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