Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream

Scooping chocolate ice cream with an ice cream scoop into glass bowls.

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5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream

Learn how to make the best homemade chocolate brownie ice cream with this easy recipe.

Prep Time25

Cook Time20

Chill time12

Total Time12 45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 537kcal

Author: Janice Lawandi

Equipment

Ingredients

310 mL whipping cream (35 % fat) divided
18 grams Cacao Barry extra brute cocoa powder
130 grams dark chocolate (70 % cocoa content)
5 mL vanilla extract
5 large egg yolk(s)
200 grams granulated sugar divided
2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
440 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat)
220 grams brownies chopped into small pieces and frozen in a freezer bag to store them

Metric - US

Instructions

Freeze the ice cream drum in the freezer for at least 24 hours before attempting to make ice cream.
In a small saucepan, combine half the cream with the cocoa powder.
Bring the mixture up to the boil, whisking constantly, then lower the heat and simmer the cocoa mixture for 1 minute.
Take the pan off the heat. Add the dark chocolate to the pan and let it stand 1 minute, then stir it in to melt it completely.
Add the rest of the cream and the vanilla, then transfer the chocolate base to a 1 L (4 cup) measuring cup or a large bowl with a pouring spout. Place a strainer over top for later. Set aside.
Prepare an ice bath that can accommodate the measuring cup or bowl with the chocolate base.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with half the sugar and the salt, until the mixture has lightened.
In a medium saucepan, whisk the rest of the sugar with the milk. Heat the mixture until it is very hot and almost comes to a boil.
Pour the hot milk mixture over the whisked yolks to temper the eggs. Whisk continuously until the mixture is homogenous, then transfer it back to the saucepan.
Switch to a wooden spoon and, stirring constantly, heat the mixture on the stove over medium—low heat until the custard has thickened and has reached 83 °C (181 °F). The goal is to slowly thickened the custard.
Pour the mixture through the strainer set over the chocolate base, pressing the custard through gently, if needed.
Use a stick blender to combine the strained custard with the chocolate base at the bottom of the bowl (or measuring cup). The mixture should be thick and homogenous.
Cover with plastic wrap and place the bowl in the prepared ice bath to cool it down faster. Refrigerate the chocolate ice cream base for several hours to cool completely (overnight is best!).
Place the frozen drum on the ice cream maker, and churn the custard according to instructions. It can take about 15 to 20 minutes to churn the ice cream.
When the ice cream is the texture of soft serve, turn off the machine and disassemble it.
Layer the frozen brownie pieces with the chocolate ice cream as you transfer the ice cream to your storage container. Place in freezer for a few hours to harden before serving.

Notes

Chocolate—For the dark chocolate, I used Cacao Barry Ocoa 70 % dark chocolate and for the cocoa powder, I used Dutch-processed. You could try black cocoa powder, which is even darker, though the flavour will be quite different (not necessarily better in my opinion).
Sugar - instead of granulated sugar, you can use a mix of it and brown sugar, which will add some really interesting molasses notes to it.
Salt—This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!
Cream and milk - I use a combination of 35 % whipping cream and whole milk, you could consider replacing the total volume of cream plus milk with something like half and half or coffee cream (that is usually around 10–20% fat) and it could work well.
Raspberry brownie - gently press a handful of raspberries on your next pan of brownies before baking, and fold the baked brownies with raspberries into freshly churned chocolate ice cream.
Blondie - replace the brownie pieces with pieces of these toffee blondies for a real treat!
Cookies - chop up these chocolate chip cookies with pecans to make the chocolate version of this cookie ice cream.
Mint brownie - infuse the milk for the crème anglaise with fresh mint leaves or add a few drops of mint extract before chilling the custard overnight. Checkout this mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe to find out how much mint to add.
Double chocolate brownie- drizzle a thin stream of melted dark chocolate to make chocolate ice cream with chocolate flecks or layer in some of the chocolate fudge sauce that I used to make this banana split cake
Lactose-free variation - if you can't have lactose, this recipe will work with lactose-free milk and cream.

Nutrition