Monday, March 8, 2010

Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

I apologize for giving you all another ice cream post right after the CCC dough ice cream, but I made a this a while ago and have been debating on whether I should blog about it since I didn't like it and didn't like the photos of the ice cream due to the low light.
Anyway, I thought that this was going to be so good. It was full of Callebaut milk and semi-sweet chocolate, cream, egg yolks, vanilla, and milk. What could be wrong?
For some reason, the taste was flat. I wouldn't normally blog about a recipe that I didn't like, but I did for two reasons:
  1. To show off the new knife I got for my birthday!!! Woot! Thanks, mom!!
  2. To ask you all what I could do to this recipe to make it taste better.
It yielded only a little, which I'm now happy about. Once I perfect this recipe, I will double it to get a normal amount of ice cream. So, I'm opening the floor to you all for ideas. Help! I want to love this recipe haha. It's full of good chocolate!
*UPDATE* Here are the adaptations I made: I think I used espresso powder b/c I try to use it in all of my chocolate recipes. I also added vanilla extract.

Milk Chocolate Ice Cream
adapted from Ice Cream!

1 cup (250ml) whole milk
2 large egg yolks (I accidentally used 3)
1/4 cup (50g) extra-fine sugar (just grind sugar in a food processor; I reduced the amount of sugar b/c of the semi-sweet chocolate, then I added more sugar (total 1/4) b/c it wasn't sweet enough for me)
3 1/2 oz (100g) good-quality milk chocolate, chopped (I used Callebaut)
1 3/4 oz (50g) bittersweet chocolate (I used semi-sweet b/c I don't like bittersweet)
1-2 Tbsp espresso powder
2/3 cup (150ml) heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place the milk in a medium saucepan, and heat gently to near-boiling point. Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl, using a regular or electric whisk, until thick and pale. Gradually beat the milk into the egg mixture.

Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and continue stirring until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove the bowl from the heat, and stir in the chocolate pieces, stirring until smooth. Allow the custard to cool completely. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap or waxed paper to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight (I did the latter).

Once cool, stir in the cream, and churn in an ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Serve immediately, or transfer to a freezer container. Cover the surface directly with waxed paper or foil, and put in the freezer.

32 comments:

  1. Great gift from mom! :) And as always, your ice-creams rawk. I am terribly in need of a scoop right now ... in this sweltering heat. Would some salt make it taste better? Or how about a dash of coffee? Whatever, it looks so good to me!

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  2. happy belated birthday memoria, i like your knife. first I thought also of a pinch of salt. you can use some vanilla or alkohol, e. g. rum. alkohol isn't just for the taste it also improves the melt in the mouth.

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  3. Oh its very, very good and delicious...congratulations....kiss

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  4. wow sono irresistibili!! complimenti!! ciao!

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  5. It's a pitty they didn't turn out so well but it looks amazing nonetheless. Hope you figure out what went wrong!

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  6. I'm sorry it didn't come out as you expected. It looks great, in my opinion and I like the directionality of the light. I'm about to attempt some ice cream myself (a recipe w/o a machine as I don't have one), but unfortunately am an ice cream newbie.

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  7. what are you talking about? the fotos looks good enough to eat....when my eyes fell on teh first picture I said ..ohMG this is killing me!

    im sorry u didnt like it...i know I would.. as long its ice cream n its chocolate...yes m like that...i hv no discerning palate when it comes to ice cream or chocolate...Ill eat anything of that texture and of that colour.

    unfortunately ice cream is nt my speciality...its too hot to attempt to make n fotograph here...id rather just buy some....i hope u won't gv up because i like ur ice cream posts very much ^.^ i knw u will succeed in improving it Memoria.

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  8. Are you saying you don't like these photos? I LOVE these photos! I've been through lots of your posts - I like your style, and I think these shots are some of your best.

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  9. I love the photo shots, especially the first one with the big chocolate chunk behind the creamy bowl of ice cream! I am sorry that you didn't like the outcome of your recipe this time, but I also know that you are a perfectionist, Memoria! Your creation is probably better than you think (after all, we are often our own worst critic) and even if it is not your best production, I am sure that you will continue to work on it until you find a way to make it scrumptious :o) Experimenting with various ingredients and/or processes should be a fun and tasty experience for you. Just know that your faithful readers are pulling for you and awaiting the good news of your ice cream victory--I know I am! Glad you like the knife :o)

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  10. Pinch of salt, more sugar, and a little booze (bourbon, whiskey, sweet dessert wine?). Also, re-up the sugar and use darker chocolate. Mostly, I think you're missing enough salt and sugar - and the aromatic nature of ice creams is hard to come by using ordinary proportions, for desserts that are not served so cold. When it's cold, lovely volatile oils are no longer so volatile.

    Consider additional aromatics instead? Almond extract, spices infused with the milk, or a little citrus zest?

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  11. Ppff! I wish my ice cream pics looked like this. I agree with the last comment adding some booze: cointreau or baileys to make it more interesting.

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  12. I noticed that your recipe doesn't include salt. This is not only an important ingredient in the formula for successful ice cream, it helps to develop the flavor just like it does in cooking recipes. Salt makes the flavor "pop." 1 tsp. is all it needs. You might also add a little more sugar and bittersweet chocolate which has a more intense flavor than semi-sweet. Try it and see. The photos of the melting ice cream are fabulous!!

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  13. I wish I knew anything at all about ice cream making so that I could help you out.

    It certainly looks creamy and delicious!

    And never apologize for posting too may ice cream recipes. There is no such thing.

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  14. Wow. Thank you all so much for your tips. I will try some of them out next time. Since I don't drink alcohol or allow it in my home, I won't be able to add it to this recipe. However, I will try out the other tips.

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  15. unfortunately I don't know anything at all about making ice cream. But I think your pictures are really good! The ice cream looks like it tastes great at least :)

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  16. I'm a big fan/proponent of using a dash of vanilla in just about any dessert. We call for it in just about anything, anyway, so it makes sense! Nice, nice looking chocolate ice cream. And, I can appreciate your use of espresso powder.

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  17. Great photos! And love the knife. I use unsweetened Callebaut cocoa powder and bittersweet (or semi) in my ice cream. It has a more intense chocolate taste and instead of coffee powder i use coffee liqueur so you get both the flavor of the coffee and the mouth feel that the alcohol produces. Also brown sugar can lift the chocolate flavor as well.

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  18. belles photos et jolies recettes ça doit être délicieux
    bonne journée et à bientôt

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  19. It looks so rich and creamy - yum.

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  20. You're lighting is not that bad...maybe a white board would help to give the darker side of the object you are photographing more light. I do like your presentation. Your ice cream looks nice and creamy, was it just the flavor that was off or the texture as well? I have never had luck (to date) with a homemade chocolate ice cream, but I recently made and FANTASTIC vanilla ice cream recipe that blew my mind away. Flavor-wise, what comes to mind is hazelnut extract for a more European-chocolate flavor and/or using another chocolate - I suggest getting it from the candy section of your local grocer and not the baking section. Whatever you enjoy eating will work best. Having lived in Germany so long now, I can't think of any American brands that I like...but I know some fantastic European brands if you are curious.
    Good luck with the recipe..am curious to see what improvements work out for you.

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  21. Beautiful chocolate ice-cream! Um, I almost hate to say this to you because it won't do any good lol. But I spike all my ice-creams with alcohol. It wakes them up and freezer creamier.

    I know you don't like to cook with alcohol though. Wish I could help.

    Nice new knife by the way!!

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  22. This chocolate ice-cream looks fabalous!

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  23. Wows! This is amazing and nice photography work!

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  24. I can never have too much ice cream. yours look rich and yummy :)

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  25. You never have to apologize for ice-cream in my book. The heatwave and drought we have been experiencing makes this a most welcome treat

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  26. Hmmm...I'm definitely not a pro when it comes to ice cream, but I am thinking maybe some salt could help? I don't know, but salt sometimes seems to enhance the flavors of desserts. Or maybe a bit more espresso powder will give it a stronger flavor? Either way, this ice cream looks/sounds delicious. Your mom is awesome for getting you that knife you lucky girl!

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  27. Well, it certainly LOOKS luscious! I'd suggest some good quality salt in there, it really helps amp up chocolate and keep it from tasting flat.

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  28. I agree with the other commenters that salt would be a good addition--but you tried that. Did it help?

    If you want it more chocolately (I would. Nothing is every chocolately enough in my house), I'd add some cocoa powder as well as changing the chocolates to bittersweet. Even if you don't like bittersweet, the cream will balance it out I think. Also, you might consider a dash of cayenne pepper? Spice does interesting things when paired with chocolate.

    (Awesome knife).

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  29. Yummy! looks very tasty.... Thanks for sharing.
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