Make Mine A Double Scoop

Summer demands homemade ice cream, and I am happy to oblige. A few weeks ago I made this fabulous double chocolate ice cream for my Dad. My wonderful sister found the recipe on a fellow blogger's site, and it turned out just beautifully.  A ripple of peanut butter revs up the richness of this fantastically decadent treat, but you can leave it out if you'd rather stick with just the chocolate.  

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

courtesy of Joy the Baker

ingredients:

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

pinch of salt

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (all-natural is the best!)

In a sauce pan over medium heat stir together 2 cups whole milk, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.  Heat until the milk starts to steam but before it boils.

In a small bowl stir together the remaining 1/2 cup of whole milk and the cornstarch until no lumps remain.

Add the cornstarch mixture to the heated milk and chocolate mixture and bring to a low boil.  Boil until thickened.  The mixture will have the consistency of chocolate pudding.  (This is a good time to sample the beginnings of your creation!)  Remove from heat.

In a small sauce pan heat 1/2 cup heavy cream.  Once boiling, remove from heat and pour over the chocolate chips.  Let sit for 1 minute then stir the cream and chocolate mixture until incorporated.

Stir the cream and chocolate mixture into the cooling chocolate ice cream base.  (Another perfect moment to pause and try a spoonful.  It's delicious.  In fact, it's so good you could simply chill it and serve as a pudding with a little whipped cream.) Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and put in the fridge until cool.

Once cool, follow the manufacturer's directions on your ice cream maker to churn.  Once the mixture has chilled and thickened in the ice cream maker slowly drizzle 1/4 cup of peanut butter.  (Notice the velvety texture of the all-natural peanut butter.  Also,  there's no pesky high fructose corn syrup.)

Transfer the ice cream into a freezer-safe container and fold in the remaining 1/4 cup of peanut butter.  Cover with plastic wrap and press the plastic wrap so it touches the surface of the ice cream.  This prevents ice crystals from forming in the ice cream.  Freeze for at least two hours before serving.

Get ready for an intense chocolate experience.  This stuff is going to knock your socks off!  

I think the chocolate base of this ice cream would be tasty with other things in it as well.  Ever tried Ben and Jerry's Phish Food?  It has crunchy fish-shaped chocolate bits sprinkled throughout, gooey marshmallow cream, and caramel.  Some day I'm going to add all of those things to this ice cream along with some peanut butter chips and see how that works out.  :)