This is the best no-churn, homemade chocolate ice cream. The smooth, velvety texture and the intense chocolate flavor of this no-egg recipe will get you hooked.
If you ask me, this is the best homemade chocolate ice cream. It is a no-churn and no-eggs recipe, with an extra creamy and velvety texture. The cocoa powder and the dark chocolate give it a double chocolate flavor which will remind you of an old fashioned homemade ice cream. It’s also thick and creamy, with ZERO ice crystals so that you can unobstructedly appreciate its deep, intense chocolate flavor. I just can’t stress enough how creamy and luscious this chocolate ice cream is!
You only have to use a pot to briefly cook the mixture (for the cocoa to develop its full flavor and the cornstarch to coagulate) and after it’s cooled in the fridge you will whip it to give it a lighter texture. Freeze it for a few hours and you’ve got yourself the most amazing summer dessert. And make sure to also try this homemade vanilla ice cream because there’s nothing better than chocolate and vanilla together 🙂
Two things inspired me to make this homemade chocolate ice cream. The first was a photo of a gooey, dark and thick scoop of ice cream I saw on Cafe Fernando. He calls it the best and creamiest chocolate ice cream you’ll ever have and for good reason! It is so velvety and deliciously fudgy, it’s like frozen ganache.
The second thing that inspired me was a recent trip to Rome, where I had the most amazing dark chocolate and whiskey gelato. Guys, I have no words. I still see this gelato in my dreams and I’m seriously thinking of moving permanently to Rome just to be closer to that gelateria. But until my moving there, I’m proud to say that this recipe comes really close to that from Italy, even if it’s homemade and no-churn.
The most important change I made to the original recipe (other than a few tweaks in the ingredients) was to whip the mixture before transferring it in the freezer. What this does, is to incorporate some air into the ice cream, making it more fluffy and less dense, something that, for me, further improves the texture. Oh, and of course I added a quarter of a cup whiskey, as a tribute to my trip to Rome. And also because dark chocolate loves whiskey. You can confirm this by trying this whiskey flavored almond milk and chocolate mousse.
What are the ingredients for chocolate ice cream?
For this ice cream recipe you’ll need some simple basic ingredients:
- Cocoa powder (I recommend Dutch-processed for better taste)
- Cornstarch
- Milk
- Heavy cream / whipping cream (at least 35% fat)
- Dark chocolate or couverture chocolate (at least 55% cocoa)
- Sweet condensed milk
Some extra ingredients that make it even better because they enhance the chocolate flavor are:
- Instant espresso powder (granules)
- black pepper
- Vanilla
- Whiskey
How do you make chocolate ice cream from scratch?
- Make a very chocolatey base by cooking cocoa powder and cornstarch with some milk and cream.
- When it’s cooked, add the dark chocolate and a can of sweet condensed milk and stir until the chocolate is melted.
- Cool the mixture in the fridge until cold or overnight. Then whip it to make it fluffy.
- Freeze.
Why you have to use dark chocolate for this ice cream
The basic ingredients for this ice cream is milk, heavy cream and sweet condensed milk. Adding dark chocolate will not make the ice cream bitter, but it will give it the necessary deep chocolate flavor it should have. If you use milk chocolate the flavor will not be so strong. Any dark chocolate with over 55% cocoa in the ingredients will do.
Some notes/tips:
- Use a good quality dark chocolate, 55% cocoa or more.
- After you whip the ice cream mixture and before you store it in the freezer you can fold roasted nuts, chocolate chips or swirl a cup of chocolate syrup or magic shell.
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This is the best no-churn, homemade chocolate ice cream. The smooth, velvety texture and the intense chocolate flavor of this no-egg recipe will get you hooked.
- 1/3 cups (38 grams) cocoa Dutch processed
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 tablespoon (5 grams) cornstarch
- 1 cup heavy cream 35% fat
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cups (60 grams) whiskey (or Kahlua, or brandy)
- 8.8 oz (250 grams) finely chopped dark chocolate about 55% cocoa
- 1 can (400 grams) sweetened condensed milk
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Make the base: Transfer the cocoa, the black pepper, the espresso powder, and the cornstarch to a small pot and stir well to combine. Add the the heavy cream and the milk gradually, stirring constantly, until the mixture is homogenized. Transfer the pot over the stove and cook over medium/high heat, stirring constantly, until it starts to boil, about 5-10 minutes.
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Add the rest: Let the base boil for 1 minute and then add the vanilla and the whiskey. Cook for another minute and take off the heat (if you want all of the alcohol of the whiskey to evaporate, add the whiskey from the start). Add the chopped dark chocolate, let it rest for more minute and stir gently until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the sweetened condensed milk and stir to combine.
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Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate until completely cooled (at least 3-4 hours. Letting it rest in the fridge overnight will slightly improve the flavor)
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Beat the mixture with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes or until soft peaks form (it should become fluffy and lighter in color).
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Transfer to an ice cream container and store in the freezer for 6-8 hours.
- Adding the whiskey from the start and cooking the mixture will evaporate the alcohol. However, if you’re worried about giving it to kids, you can omit it.
- The temperature of my freezer is -4°F (-20°C) and still the ice cream was easily scooped. If the temperature of your freezer is very low, let the container rest in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before serving.
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More ice cream recipes:
- Roasted almond and white chocolate no-churn ice cream
- Banana chocolate popsicles
- Homemade vanilla ice cream
Recipe adapted from Cafefernando
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Do making this ?!
Yay! Hope you enjoy it Gina ?
Fantastic recipe Makos…am also read your posts but this is one of my favorite recipes till now…and am also vegetarian so this perfect for mine…i can’t wait make this..Thanks for sharing…keep shared your new amazing recipes…!
Thank you very much Santosh!
Love this easy and delish recipe, So YUM!!!!
Pinned 🙂
Thank you Akhila!
This looks an amazing Makos…i love it easy to make and soo delicious recipe till now. i will trying to making this from your recipe…Thanks for sharing…!
thank you Macy! Hope you enjoy it!
Looks great! And I can’t believe it doesn’t involve eggs or churning.I must try this!
Thanks Fran! This is certainly a must-try!
I tried this, wouah ! not light at all , on the contrary, a little heavy to eat
Hi Toshiko,
It’s maybe possible that it needed some more whipping before freezing. This certainly has an intense chocolate flavor, and though it’s not light as feather (traditional ice cream isn’t very light like some commercial brands) it always comes out very creamy 🙂
Hi, tried ur recipe it tasted awesome but didn’t freeze like an ice cream was like a mousse consistency. Cud t figure out what went wrong.
Thanks
Hi Chavi,
Thanks for trying this recipe! If you weighed the ingredients correctly, then I would have to guess that either the base wasn’t cooked for too long (so that the cornstarch and the cocoa have the chance to thicken the mixture) or you didn’t whip the finished ice cream enough before freezing it… Also, sometimes if the freezer is not very strong, the ice cream needs more time to thicken. You can let it in the freezer and try it the next day. Hope this helps 🙂
Excellent ice cream!!!! I swapped the whiskey for grated ginger and it tastes amazing. Thank you for this recipe