Chocolate Toffee Crunch Ice Cream

When it comes to ice cream, I used to be on the vanilla team in the battle of chocolate versus vanilla. As a kid, chocolate was rarely my flavor of choice, and I'd usually opt for vanilla if mint chocolate chip was not available. However, once I discovered the wonders of Ben and Jerry's and how they tweaked plain chocolate ice cream, I realized I had been missing out on this great flavor. Not only did I like chocolate ice cream, but it was even better with bits of brownies, marshmallows, or caramel. I decided to make this ice cream after I found some gourmet toffee in my sister's pantry. She claimed she would never use it, and I thought it would go perfectly in a batch of ice cream. After flipping through The Perfect Scoop for the 100th time, I decided to add the crushed up toffee pieces to a traditional chocolate ice cream. The result was phenomenal.

This is the one of the best chocolate ice creams I have ever had. The chocolate flavor is rich, but not too rich, the texture is creamy and smooth, and the toffee adds the perfect crunch. When making ice cream, it's sometimes difficult finding a recipe that will maintain a creamy consistency after it is fully frozen. This one, however, stays creamy and does not get hard and icy. It is everything that I would want from chocolate ice cream. If toffee is not your thing, feel free to add any other treat to the recipe, or just make plain chocolate ice cream.


Adapted from David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop

2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
3 tablespoons (21 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
5 ounces (140 grams) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
3/4 cup (150 grams) sugar
pinch of salt
5 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces (170 grams) toffee, broken into small pieces

In a medium sized saucepan, whisk together 1 cup of heavy cream and the cocoa powder; mix well. Bring to boil and then reduce the heat so the mixture continues to simmer for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and add the chocolate. Mix until the chocolate pieces have melted and the mixture has a smooth consistency. Add the remaining 1 cup of cream and stir. Pour this mixture into a large bowl and set a strainer on top.

Using the same saucepan, warm the milk, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warmed milk into the egg yolks, mixing constantly. If this proves to be difficult, ladle spoonfuls of the milk mixture into the egg yolks, mixing well after each addition. Pour the egg yolk and milk mixture back into the saucepan.

Over medium heat, mix the egg yolk mixture with a heatproof spatula. Scrape the bottom of the saucepan as you mix so the mixture does not stick to the pan. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Pour this custard into the strainer over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Add the vanilla and place the bowl over an ice bath, stirring until cool.

Chill mixture in the fridge and then freeze according to your ice cream makers manufacturer's instructions. If the mixture has thickened in the fridge, whisk it until it thins out. Add the toffee pieces during the last 5 minutes of churning. I churned my ice cream for 30 minutes, then froze it in the freezer until firm.

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