Once upon a time there was a girl who came to a new town to start a new job. At the end of the first day she asked herself 'what in the world was I thinking?' She probably should have just relaxed and taken a deep breath, but there was so much to do and so many 'land mines' to discover she barely even had time to breathe. The concept of relaxing was and would always be an illusive one for her. So when a boy came by and said 'I'm glad you're here', she understood for the first time what it felt like to be valued and validated for simply being her. And on those days when she began to doubt or question herself, it was the boy who could always see through the image, the facade she tried to project. And then he would say those words 'I'm glad you're here' and suddenly, as if by some sort of magic, all would again be right with the world. For all of the years she remained in that town and well after she left to work in other towns, those words were never lost on her. While she never really did learn how to take a deep breath, she always remembered how it felt to be genuinely accepted for all of her gifts along with some of her eccentric quirks and complexities. Those four words didn't just energize her spirit and warm her soul (more than a shot (or two) of espresso and/or a dark chocolate candy bar ever could) they tugged at her heartstrings too. Somedays the girl wonders if the boy really ever knew just how much she was affected by as well as how thankful she was and would always be for the priceless gift of those four simple words.
As much as I derive a great deal of pleasure from making some of those time and labor intensive foods and meals, what hasn't got lost on me is how much greater pleasure my friends get from making some of the 'simpler' recipes posted to this blog. Don't get me wrong, I am not at all inferring my friends don't or can't or won't make anything having a long list of sometimes obscure ingredients or those requiring long hours of cooking. What I am trying to say is they are the ones who realized long ago that some of the simplest recipes, the ones requiring the least investment of time (and money) yield the biggest, greatest wow factor results. Yes, my friends are sometimes smarter than I am (okay, there I said it!). And maybe I should have pursued a doctorate in common sense rather than one in educational organization and leadership. But that would have meant being practical, another one of those fleeting concepts.
In my basement sits a very expensive ice cream machine that hasn't seen the light of day in too many years to count. As much as I love ice cream, one would think it would be one of those used often kitchen tools. But having discovered a few years ago how sinfully delicious no churn ice creams can be, the ice cream maker will wait until I someday learn the secret behind the artisan ice cream sold at
Rococo, one of my favorite ice cream stores on the planet. And since that won't be happening anytime soon, finding amazing recipes for over-the-top, hard to believe it's not hand-churned ice cream recipes is how I really need to be spending my time and energy.
After seeing a recent post for an espresso ice cream, I immediately embarked on the quest to discover how many and how different the recipes for a no churn espresso ice cream could be.
What I learned was they were not all that different. Everyone used a heavy whipping cream and sweetened condensed milk. Some used espresso or cold brew, some used espresso powder. Some used a liqueur, some used only vanilla. Some added a pinch a salt, some left it out. Some added chopped chocolate, some remained espresso ice cream purists. So all I had to decide was how much and which of the 'somes' to use. Call it beginner's luck, but I think I came up with a winning combination of ingredients for this Espresso Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream, the no churn version.
When buying heavy whipping cream for making ice cream, whether you churn it or not, is to use one with a high fat content. The higher the fat content the more stable the cream when whipped (and ultimately frozen) and the smoother the texture of the finished ice cream will be. Look for whipping cream having at least 18 or 19% fat. This version Espresso Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream used an 18% fat whipping cream. The reason some commercially sold ice creams get away with having a lower fat content is because their big heavy ice cream making machines whip more 'air' into them. If you have ever tasted a less-expensive brand of ice cream and then asked yourself 'what was I thinking buying it?', you more than likely unhappily discovered what flavored air tastes like.
Instead of some fresh espresso or cold brew, I used espresso powder. This Espresso Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream was also made with a
Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur. But you could easily replace it with some Bailey's Irish Cream, Kahlua or an espresso liqueur. Somewhere between 7 and 8 ounces of dark chocolate was coarsely chopped for this ice cream, however, you could also chop up some chocolate covered espresso beans. Or use a combination of both.
Note: Next time I would increase the amount of chocolate to 9-10 ounces because there is no such thing as too much chocolate in espresso ice cream.
Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment makes whipping the cream easier. Although if you are looking for an upper body workout and wanting arms as sculpted as the ones you have been seeing on all of the Olympic athletes, feel free to use a whisk. Not that I want to discourage you from using a whisk, but the recipe for this Espresso Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream is intended to be easy to make.
When I started making no churn ice creams last year I invested in a couple of ice cream containers. The
Tovolo insulated ice-cream containers are my favorites. The ones I found came from Williams-Sonoma, but you can find them in other places or you can use a plastic container with tight fitting lid. As a side note, always handwash your ice cream container versus putting it in the dishwasher (or risk having the lid never fitting tightly again).
Many no churn ice cream recipes say your ice cream will be ready in as little as four hours after being placed in the freezer. Maybe they were using commercial freezers. For best results, I would recommend you wait overnight (or 24 hours) before scooping out and serving this ice cream.
And then be prepared to enjoy the most incredibly homemade Espresso Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream ever. Seriously, this ice cream is that good. It's definitely one of the things I would put on my short 'last meal' worthy list.
If you are someone who loves ice cream, really loves ice cream, especially Espresso Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream you will definitely want a bowl of this ice cream filled with ginormous scoops of it. Or if you prefer to pace yourself (now there's an interesting concept), start with a couple of smaller scoops. It would not surprise me if you or anyone you are serving it to asks for seconds though. And one of the best parts of this rich, creamy ice cream? It's one of those simple, easy to make recipes that tastes as good as, if not better (because it's homemade) any of those expensive ice cream store confections.
Recipe
Espresso Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream - no churn (inspired by several sources)
Ingredients
2 cups (1 pint) heavy whipping cream (at least 18% fat)
14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
2 - 3 Tablespoons of espresso powder (I used 2 Tablespoons) Recommend King Arthur Flour's Espresso Powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur (could also use Bailey's Irish Cream, Kahlua or any espresso liqueur)
9-10 ounces coarsely chopped dark or semi-sweet chocolate (if you like slightly less chocolate, use 7-8 ounces) Note: Could also use chopped chocolate covered espresso beans or a combination of both chocolate and the chocolate covered beans.
pinch of kosher salt
Optional toppings: Chocolate covered espresso beans, chocolate sauce, sprinkles.
Directions
1. In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip cream until stiff peaks form.
2. With the mixer on low, slow pour the sweetened condensed milk into the whipped cream until well combined.
3. Add espresso powder, vanilla, salt, and Godiva Liqueur to mixture. Turn mixing speed to high and beat until mixture has thickened (about 1 minute).
3. Stir in chopped chocolate.
4. Transfer to a container, cover tightly and freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight (recommend waiting the full 24 hours).
5. Scoop into bowls or cones. Top with favorite toppings or savor topping free.
Notes: The other no churn ice cream recipes on the blog are for Peach Ice Cream and Strawberry Ice Cream.
Summer flowers in bloom.
