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Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

Homemade chocolate ice cream made as a cooked chocolate custard, giving a dense, velvety texture with intensely dark color. You’ll churn and freeze it into rich, cocoa-forward scoops with a fudgy finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 minutes
Total Time 39 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cream base
  • 2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3 /4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 /2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Chocolate and custard
  • 4 oz dark chocolate
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the chocolate base
  1. Whisk unsweetened cocoa powder with 1/4 cup granulated sugar, then add heavy cream and whole milk to a saucepan and heat over medium while whisking until steaming (about 3–5 minutes).
  2. Add finely chopped dark chocolate and whisk until fully melted and smooth, keeping the mixture at a gentle simmer (about 1–2 minutes).
Temper and cook custard
  1. Whisk egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar until pale, about 1–2 minutes, for a lighter texture.
  2. Slowly whisk the hot chocolate cream into the yolks in a thin stream to temper without scrambling (about 1 minute).
  3. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard coats the back of a spoon (175F), about 8–10 minutes.
Chill, churn, and freeze
  1. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve, then stir in vanilla extract and salt to fully combine and smooth the texture.
  2. Cool completely over an ice bath, stirring occasionally, until no longer warm to the touch (about 15–20 minutes).
  3. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight to chill thoroughly, then churn in an ice cream maker and freeze until firm (about 2–4 hours).

Notes

Pro tip: strain the custard right after cooking so the final ice cream stays ultra-smooth. Refrigerate any extra base covered for up to 2 days before churning; once churned, eat within 2 weeks for best texture. Freezing is yes—freeze in an airtight container. For a dairy-light option, replace heavy cream with equal parts lactose-free cream and use lactose-free whole milk (texture stays close, but final richness may be slightly lower).