Homemade vanilla ice cream loaded with chocolate chips makes this chocolate chip ice cream recipe perfect for both vanilla and chocolate lovers.
I love ice cream, but I especially love making it at home - from Oreo ice cream to dulce de leche ice cream to graham cracker ice cream.
But the two most popular ice cream flavors are vanilla and chocolate. So I figured why not combine the two with this chocolate chip ice cream.
What really puts this over the top is the chopped up chocolate. Yes you use good chocolate and make your own "chips." Don't buy the prepackaged stuff. Trust me it makes a difference.
Let's be honest. It is quite easy to just go buy some at the grocery store, but where is the fun in that? With this homemade version, you know what you are putting into and using quality ingredients. So give it a try!
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Ingredient Notes
- Heavy cream and milk - the 2:1 ratio of heavy cream to milk gives you the right fat content to create that creamy texture you except with ice cream.
- Eggs - important in stabilizing the ice cream and adds extra richness.
- Chocolate - I like usually quality chocolate and chopping it myself.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can switch things up if needed. Some variations include:
- Whole milk and heavy cream are my go-tos, but you can also use any skim milk and half-and-half if needed. It just won't be as creamy.
- I use granulated sugar in this ice cream recipe, but light brown sugar is a good substitute and offers a slightly different flavor.
- I like dark chocolate, but milk or semi-sweet chocolate work as well.
Step-by-Step Photos
Heat the milk and cream in a medium saucepan until it reaches 170°F. While it is heating up whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until it is thick and a pale yellow.
Temper the egg yolks by slowing adding some of the hot cream mixture and whisk constantly. Now add it back into the saucepan and heat on low until it reaches 185°F. Pour through a fine mesh strainer and let cool before refrigerating for 4 hours or overnight.
Once ready, stir in the vanilla extract and salt and then pour into an ice cream machine while it is churning. Churn for 20 minutes or until desired consistency is reach.
With machine still running, add the chopped chocolate and churn for 30 seconds or until mixed through. Then transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
FAQs
It may be the cheapest one available, but the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker is super simple to use and makes the best ice cream at home.
You can although I highly recommend trying to use whole milk and heavy cream as the high fat content creates the creamy texture when the ice cream is cooled.
Nearly any type of milk will work, and you can substitute half-and-half for the cream. But just keep in mind, it won't be as creamy and could get icy.
Yes. When adding the eggs, while the chance is very small, if you bring to 185°F you kill the risk of salmonella.
So in general, eggs help prevent ice crystals but I also add Xanthan gum a lot of times to my recipes. Xanthan gum helps stabilize the ice cream and prevents ice crystals from forming.
The usual problem with homemade ice cream is it will only lasts a couple of days before ice crystals form. But the Xanthan gum helps battle this. Just add ¼ tsp.
How to Serve
This homemade ice cream is great on its own or to complement other desserts including:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Chocolate Lava Cakes
- Smith Island Cake
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use the Best Ingredients - when making ice cream you want to use the best ingredients possible so use free-range eggs and organic milk and cream. Also use high quality vanilla extract and chocolate.
- Don't Cut the Fat and Calories - ice cream is not the dessert that you should be cutting the fat. It depends on the high-fat content to create a creamy texture. If you go lower fat, it will cause an icy ice cream. If you're on a diet, just have a smaller scoop!
- Add Extract at Right Time - if you add the vanilla extract while the custard is too hot, you won't get the actual flavor as it will cook out slightly. Just wait until right before you pour the custard into the ice cream maker to add it.
- Chill the Custard - you don't necessarily need to chill the custard overnight, but you want to chill until it is as cold as possible.
- Use Frozen Bowl - make sure your ice cream bowl has been frozen for at least 24 hours, otherwise you aren't giving the ice cream a great chance of freeze.
- Start Ice Cream Motor First - do not pour the custard in the frozen bowl before starting the ice cream maker. It will start freezing upon contact. You want the motor running and slowly pour the custard in.
- Don't Overchurn - always error on the side of caution when it comes to churning your ice cream. You do not want it to be hard. Remember it will continue to freeze once you place in the freezer.
- Add chocolate at the end – never add your chocolate at the beginning of the process. You want to add it when it looks like there is about a minute left in the churning process.
- Keep It Creamy - homemade ice cream can turn hard as we don't add preservatives, however Xanthan gum or a couple tablespoon of vodka will help keep it creamy.
Other Ice Cream Recipes
If you’ve tried this chocolate chip ice cream recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 egg yolks
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dark chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Combine milk and cream in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Stirring occasionally, heat until the mixture reaches a temperature of 170°F and bubbles start to form around the edges.
- While the milk mixture is heating, whisk the egg yolks together until smooth in a heatproof bowl. Gradually whisk in the sugar until well incorporated and the mixture is thick and a pale yellow color. Temper the egg yolks by very slowly pouring the hot milk mixture while whisking constantly. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and heat, stirring frequently, on low heat to a temperature of 185°F. The mixture should be slightly thickened, enough to coat the back of a spoon. It should not come to a boil.
- Pour the custard mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl in an ice bath to cool the mixture completely, stirring constantly. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Remove the custard from the refrigerator and stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and churn for about 20 minutes (follow your ice cream maker directions).
- Once desired consistency, slowly add chopped chocolate to the ice cream maker and churn for 30 seconds longer until mixed through.
- Transfer ice cream to airtight container and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
Notes
- Use the Best Ingredients - when making ice cream you want to use the best ingredients possible so use free-range eggs and organic milk and cream. Also use high quality products when it comes to added flavorings like vanilla or chocolate. Never use imitation vanilla.
- Don't Cut the Fat and Calories - ice cream is not the dessert that you should be cutting the fat. It depends on the high-fat content to create a creamy texture. If you go lower fat, it will cause an icy ice cream. If you're on a diet, just have a smaller scoop!
- Add Extract at Right Time - if you add an extract or alcohol while the custard is too hot, you won't get the actual flavor as it will cook out slightly. Just wait until right before you pour the custard into the ice cream maker to add it.
- Chill the Custard - you don't necessarily need to chill the custard overnight, but you want to chill until it is as cold as possible.
- Use Frozen Bowl - make sure your ice cream bowl has been frozen for at least 24 hours, otherwise you aren't giving the ice cream a great chance of freeze.
- Start Ice Cream Motor First - do not pour the custard in the frozen bowl before starting the ice cream maker. It will start freezing upon contact. You want the motor running and slowly pour the custard in.
- Don't Overchurn - always error on the side of caution when it comes to churning your ice cream. You do not want it to be hard. Remember it will continue to freeze once you place in the freezer.
- Add chocolate at the end – never add your chocolate at the beginning of the process. You want to add it when it looks like there is about a minute left in the churning process.
- Keep It Creamy - homemade ice cream can turn hard as we don't add preservatives, however Xanthan gum or a couple tablespoon of vodka will help keep it creamy.
james harris says
when do you add the xanthan gum? I tried it, but my mixture looks rather thick. I may have cooked the custard too long.
Ryan says
You add when the sugar is being mixed in. The mixture is fairly thick but it might have cooked too long if you believe it is too thick.
James says
I don’t believe that it was too thick, just more than I was expecting from a crème anglaise texture. So when I have whisked the sugar and egg yolks, add the xanthan gum, then? So it’s finishing at the 185 degree mark? Thanks.
Ryan says
Yep it's done at 185!