This...this incredibly decadent, rich and indulgent salted chocolate ice cream. It is the ice cream of your dreams, I promise. Even if you are reading this thinking...salted chocolate? Think again, this is worth trying, even if it something new for you.
Salted chocolate without the caramel?
That's right. read this very carefully...YOU DO NOT NEED CARAMEL TO USE SALT IN DESSERT. In fact, salted dark chocolate is more common than you think. Lots of chocolate bars have salt sprinkled on top. Like this one, that I keep pretty much on hand all of the time.
Adding salt to chocolate does the same that it does for so many things. It brings balance. Salt cuts some of the bitterness in dark chocolate and subtly make it sweeter - without actually adding a bunch of sugar. I
My biggest pro tip for all dessert making, and I have said it before, and I will continue to say it - ADD SALT. I don't know one single dessert that doesn't benefit from even a touch of salt. It is a balancing act, for sure, and that balance comes from salt.
Ok we get it on the salt, but where'd you get the idea for salted chocolate ice cream?
The idea for this came from my beloved Brooklyn Blackout cupcakes. These lovelies are filled with a salted chocolate pudding. And I am gonna be honest, I eat that shit with a spoon. So much so, that I make a double batch every time I make the cupcakes - it is that good.
And since every year I try to make at least 3-4 new flavors of ice cream - to share with you all and to eat myself - salted chocolate ice cream sounded like it would be fanf'ingtastic, and it did not disappoint. 
My spiel on making ice cream.
Since I am perpetually exhausted and always in a hurry (I am actually about to go to the gym - no lie, I do that sometimes), look here for my recommendations on ice cream makers.
I have said it before and I will say it again, I think owning an ice cream maker is a well worth it investment. And once you make a batch, and realize how not hard it is, you'll be doing it all the time.
Salted chocolate ice cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon of sea salt use a decent salt in this, not your iodized table salt - I use fleur de sel
- 5 egg yolks
- ½ cup of cocoa powder
- 6 ounces of semi or bittersweet chocolate chopped (you can use chocolate chips if that is all you have on hand)
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the milk, sugar, and salt and one of the cups of the heavy cream in a pan. Heat up and stir until the sugar is is totally dissolved, keep cooking until a bare simmer. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder and chopped chocolate until totally incorporated.
- Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Pour the chocolate milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking like crazy. And pour this slowly - or you will end up with scrambled eggs. Pour back into the pan and continue cooking, while stirring the entire time, until the mixture thickens (the saying here goes 'until it coats the back of the spoon or spatula). Don't boil it though.
- Using a sieve to ensure maximum smoothness, pour the custard into a bowl and sitr in the last cup of heavy cream. Then stir in the vanilla extract. Cover the bowl and refrigerate several hours, but I always refrigerate overnight.
- Bust out your ice cream maker and process. When ready pour into a some kind of pan - I used a 9x9 baking pan. What you want is something spread out not tall because you want it to set up nicely. Put in freezer for at least an hour before enjoying some.
