Okay, so today I decided to make some Haagen-Dazs style chocolate chocolate chip ice cream. I’ve been craving it, and honestly, who can resist that rich, creamy goodness?
Getting Started
First things first, I gathered all my ingredients. I’m a bit of a stickler for quality, so I made sure to use the good stuff.
- Heavy cream – the base of all things delicious.
- Whole milk – gotta have that full-fat flavor.
- Granulated sugar – for sweetness, obviously.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – I went with a dark, intense one.
- Bittersweet chocolate – finely chopped, for those melty pockets.
- Chocolate chips – because, more chocolate!
- A pinch of salt – to balance the sweetness.
- Vanilla extract – just a splash.
The Mixing Process
I started by whisking together the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a saucepan. A little tip: make sure there are no lumps in the cocoa – it can be a pain to smooth out later.
Then I gradually whisked in the milk and cream. Make sure to stir everything constantly to prevernt sticking on the bottom of pot.
Next, I placed the saucepan over medium heat and cooked the mixture, stirring constantly, until it was hot and slightly thickened. It’s important not to let it boil! Just a gentle simmer is what we’re after.
Once it was hot enough, I removed the pan from the heat and stirred in the chopped bittersweet chocolate and vanilla extract. I stirred until the chocolate was completely melted and the mixture was smooth and glossy.
Cooling and Churning
I poured the mixture into a bowl, covered it with plastic wrap (pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming), and chilled it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. You want it to be really cold before churning.
After chilling, I poured the mixture into my ice cream maker and churned it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Mine took about 25 minutes to reach a soft-serve consistency.
During the last few minutes of churning, I added in the chocolate chips. Don’t add them too early, or they’ll sink to the bottom.
The Final Freeze
Finally, I transferred the ice cream to an airtight container and froze it for at least 2 hours to harden it up. This is the hardest part – waiting! But trust me, it’s worth it.
And that’s it! Rich, decadent, homemade Haagen-Dazs style chocolate chocolate chip ice cream. It’s definitely a treat, but so satisfying to make from scratch. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go grab a spoon…