Rich Chocolate Ice Cream #CooktheBooksClub

Today I’m sharing a delightful summery recipe inspired by The Wedding Bees by Sarah-Kate Lynch for Cook the Cooks Club, hosted this month by Simona from Briciole.

I loved this month’s book.  It is an absolutely perfect summer read!  It’s a light, happy romance (without the smut) that leaves the reader happy and hopeful!  You can get more details about the book and my full review on GoodReads.

There is so much delicious food inspiration in the book!  And as much as I wanted to choose a recipe with honey (well, I did make Honeybee Cupcakes, but there wasn't much of a recipe), I ended up making ice cream!  It’s been on my bucket list for ages plus there’s a lovely ice cream scene in the book, full of quirky characters that had me laughing out loud!

I ended up choosing chocolate ice cream because I’m an absolute chocaholic!  I am so happy with how the ice cream turned out!  It is rich and chocolaty and so silky smooth.  A perfect summertime treat!

  

Rich Chocolate Ice Cream

Adapted from Chow

2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream

1 cup milk (I used 2%)

1 ½ tsp instant espresso powder

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup special dark cocoa powder

4 oz semi sweet chocolate, broken (56% cocoa)

4 egg yolks

¾ cup white sugar

Heat the heavy cream and milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming.  Remove from heat.  Whisk in the espresso powder and cocoa powders.  Stir in the chocolate and continue stirring until completely melted.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, place the egg yolks in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Whisk on medium speed.  Then, add the sugar and continue whisking on medium to medium-high until the mixture is smooth and light, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

While still whisking on medium, slowly ladle half of the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.  Take care to add the chocolate slowly, so as not to scramble the eggs.

Pour the egg/chocolate mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining chocolate and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens.  Chocolate should coat the back of a spoon and not run back together when a finger is run through.

Pour the chocolate mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Churn according to ice cream maker instructions.  Serve immediately for soft serve or freeze for several hours for firmer ice cream.

Serve with sprinkles!