I am going to toot my own horn here and say that this is the best ice cream I have ever made.
I figured as the weather was warming up it was time for my ice cream machine to take up residence in my freezer once again. I wanted to make something new and as I scoured the internet for inspiration the idea of doing a dark as dark chocolate with something a little bit spesh going on was the way to go.
This chocolate is so intense it'll knock your socks right off and satisfy your chocolate cravings for the next decade. No joke.
To get that depth of chocolatey flavour you need a good pile of chocolate, good quality cocoa and some salt to help bring out and balance the flavour. A splash or two of some good single malt just makes the chocolate flavour all the more complex.
I had originally decided to make this as a surprise treat for Dylan. He found out that I used his good stuff (how was I supposed to know?). He was not impressed. I was however super impressed with how delicious this ice cream turned out. No regrets. None.
He keeps trying to get me into drinking the darned fire water anyway.. well I am drinking it.. in frozen dairy based form.
Can I also just say how much of a dick photographing brown ice cream is? Ice cream is bad enough because it melts all over the show and that second scoop is just never as pretty as the first. Nightmare I tell you. I ate a lot of ice cream over the course of this project trying to hide my failed scoop attempts. I am actually not sure if I am safe to drive now.
Dark as Dark Chocolate and Single Malt Ice Cream
Makes just over 1L (have a second container at the ready just in case)
2 cups cream (35% fat)
2 cups full fat milk (3.5% fat)
200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids please)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons good quality cocoa
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup muscovado sugar
5 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or a teaspoon of liquid extract)
2 generous pinches of salt flakes
3 tablespoons of your best single malt Scotch whisky
Start by whisking together your yolks, sugar and vanilla together in either a stand mixer or using an electric hand beater. Add in the cocoa and then 1/2 a cup of the milk and continue to mix until a smooth thick paste forms.
Meanwhile heat your cream in a large saucepan until it is hot but not simmering. Remove the pan from the heat then break up the chocolate into chunks and then add it to the cream. Leave the chocolate to sit in the hot cream for a few minutes then gently stir to get the chocolate melted all the way through the cream. Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining cup and a half of milk. Continue to heat the cream mixture until it is again hot but not simmering.
Remove the liquid mixture from the heat and with the electric mixer still gently turning begin to add the liquid component to the sugar-yolk-cocoa paste cup by cup, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl every so often until all of the liquid has been added. Whisk in the pinches of salt at this point as well.
Return the raw custard to the saucepan and gently heat until it reaches just under 80 degrees Celsius, not a a degree over. The custard at this temperature will be uncomfortable to dip your finger in for more than three seconds. Remove the custard from the heat and whisk quickly to help reduce the temperature again.
Leave to cool on the bench then either pop the saucepan lid on or transfer to another container and leave to cool in the fridge overnight. At this point put the bowl of your ice cream machine in the freezer too.
The next day assemble your ice cream maker. Quickly stir through the whisky of your choosing through the custard base. Turn the ice cream machine on and then carefully pour the custard in. I often put a plate over the top of mine to stop the hot air get in especially if it is a hot day. Churn for about 20 minutes or until a stiff soft serve forms. Transfer to a pre chilled container and whack in the freezer as soon as possible. Leave to harden for at least six hours before devouring.
Enjoy!
