My sister Susie (the pastry chef) gave me some of her ice-cream recipes (including brown butter ice cream, butterscotch ice cream, and Bangkok peanut ice cream [which has cream cheese, peanut butter, coconut milk, honey, fresh ginger, and cayenne pepper in it, holy egads, that's next]). I took her chocolate recipe and added it to my custard recipe and oh, my, cocoastars it was crazy good. Try this, try this:
Brown Sugar–Chocolate Frozen Custard
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 vanilla bean
4 oz. milk chocolate chips (I used Guittard, because that's what they had at my store)
1/4 cup cocoa powder (I use Cocoa Barry, which my sister insisted I must buy)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
7 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
With a sharp paring knife, slit the vanilla bean lengthwise down the center and scrape the seeds into a medium saucepan. Add the bean pod itself and the half-and-half to the pan and warm over low-medium heat until it just barely simmers.
Place the chocolate chips in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk the cocoa powder into the hot half-and-half until it is dissolved. Pour the half-and-half over the chocolate chips and let it sit for a bit until the chips are melted. Stir the now-chocolatey half-and-half until smooth and thoroughly combined.
Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt by hand or using a stand mixer (I used the mixer). Slowly pour a very thin stream of the chocolatey half-and-half into the eggs while continuing to whisk; this will temper the eggs and keep them from scrambling. Continue to pour the half-and-half in a thin stream until half of it has been incorporated. Transfer the mixture back into the pot with the rest of the chocolatey half-and-half. Heat on low-medium (do not overheat here, or you will still scramble the eggs) while whisking continuously until the custard is thick and smooth, like pudding. Remove the vanilla bean.
Prepare an ice bath: Fill a 9"x13" baking pan halfway with ice cubes. Find a smaller pan or a bowl that will fit inside of the 9"x13" baking pan. Place the smaller pan or bowl in the larger baking pan and nestle it into the ice so it doesn't fall over. Gradually add the heavy cream to the custard in the saucepan and whisk the mixture until it is smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the smaller pan or bowl that is in the ice pan. Let it sit there (you can stir it occasionally) until it is cold. (I do it this way because I don't have that much room in my fridge and I don't want to heat up my refrigerator trying to cool this stuff off.) It will take a couple of hours for it to get cold (and this is about how long it takes us to walk around the block these days, stopping to sit down frequently). Following the instructions for your ice cream maker, spin this into delicious frozen custard. Give a little bit to your baby and discover that she suddenly is a pro with a spoon.
Amelia's birthfamily are serious chocolate and coffee connoisseurs! She has definitely inherited the chocolate-love gene. I've never seen her eat anything with such focus, and so fast, ever. I gave her about a tablespoon of this (and seriously, it is so rich adults hardly need much more) and the girl about lost her bananas when her little dish was empty.
I got some cute little paper cups and lids at the Cash & Carry. Now to find some cute labels so I can give ice cream to my friends so I don't get any fatter.
***Mimi's dress (it's a one-piece, with the knitted vest sewn in) is from JujuBunnyshop, but I don't see it listed anymore. Cutest clothes there, though.
YUM. Thank you for that! Let us know about the Bangkok peanut once it happens, please!
I adore that first photo and the little plump tummy in the next. So sweet! I am inspired by your ice cream making. I must look back to see what brand you bought.
Sounds yummy! You're daughter is really growing!
I agree with Sally, that gorgeous tummy just ready for zerberts, y'know when you blow on a kid's belly so it makes a noise. My kids found that hilarious. Thanks for the recipe, sounds super yum! Have a great weekend!
Wow. I am definitely in for chocolate custard ice cream. Also, I've been meaning to ask you for ages... What brand of stove do you have? I've never seen one with a white stove top before, and I love it.
When I read the title, I thought that is was a name for a new paint color. ??? My mind, what can I say? And then to see that it was a.c.t.u.a.l.l.y cocoa custard...frozen custard...dang. I'm all in.
Just darling! My daughter (who is a mere few months younger than Amelia!) is EXACTLY the same about dessert. We rarely eat sweets, and not much when we do, and she voraciously devours any custard or pudding we place in front of her. :-) Most recently it was chocolate espresso Pot de Creme with fresh whipped cream. Oh the bliss!
How does a little girl eat chocolate custard and not get it all over herself, her clothes and the floor? :-)
She is so super cute!!!
Her dress is freakin' adorable, and I could go for some cocoa custard, yummm.
It's beginning to look as though I will need to get an ice cream maker!!
Seriously... Your powers of influence are remarkable.
Oh, I was having one last look before bed and was utterly surprised to see two postings in a row. Big treat! Chocolate custard. Wow!
I love the photo of Amelia in the garden in profile with her boots and the swing. Perfection. Mind you all your photos are. Sleep tight everyone!
Oh that sounds utterly delicious. Time to make space for the ice-cream machine bowl in the freezer I think. I shall look forward to
the Bangkok peanut one too, what a fantastic name. Your sweet little girl looks like she means business, marching about the place, as if she is determined to experience absolutely everything there is on offer. The very best way to approach life. Hope you guys have a good weekend (with that ice-cream in the freezer how could you not?). CJ xx
I love Amelia's dress. Is that a vest over the top or part of the dress?
I love sturdy little legs!
Will you be so kind as to share the other ice cream recipes...they sound wonderful...
Thank you for all that you share...
Looks delicious!
Sounds delicious and is Amelia approved, so it must be good!
We became crazy about frozen custard while traveling through the States a few years ago--so happy to have some recipes to try.
One of my favorite "gifts" to give friends and neighbors is a pint of homemade vanilla bean ice cream and a small frozen pan of homemade apple crisp-especially nice during the winter months. But I am thinking some of your homemade custard and a basket of our garden berries could be the summer variation.
Off to pick up more eggs.
Thanks again for sharing.
J
Thank you for the recipe!! Looks delicious!
Ohh this is timely... we have been obsessed with making ice cream as well. Last week I made cinnamon and last night was mint chocolate chip by request. The most egg yolks I have used is five, I am assuming 7 would make it softer/richer? I will have to try and see, the hubbie has requested chocolate and I will be tweaking the recipe I have to be similar to yours. Isn't it magical when you can see it start to freeze and get thick? I never get tired of watching it spin!
Swoon! Ice cream. More swoon. The Bangkok peanut ice cream sounds like a recipe from Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream at Home. Her "master" ice cream recipe has cream cheese in it. I know the little miss will enjoy all your ice cream experiments.
Sounds delicious!
Also, love the picture of her sitting on a patch of grass. The wisps of her hair and the wisps of grass together make such a lovely composition!
Hey there... Question. I bought the Ikea Jenny Lund chair too and it's realllllly hard. Does it soften up? Love seeing pix of your girl. Thanks for the recipe.
Simply adorable!
May I ask what you are making with all your egg whites? The ice cream sounds delicious.
Amelia is adorable! I love her long hair and her dress is so sweet! I inherited what is called "the cream gene" in my family. My Dad (born 1905 in Mississippi) grew up calling it "cream" and was a serious ice cream lover. So am I. I will have to make this recipe. It looks delicious!
Blessings,
Dianne
This cannot be your little baby girl!!!??? So "grown-up" already...how time flies. She is beautiful. It's been a while since I commented...life you know. Your darling family is often in my inbox and I *see* your life through your posts. Here's to an amazing summer filled with little girl dreams, soft warm rainy days, and lots of sunshine.