In a classic case of “Do as I say, not as I do” I decided to place the plastic wrap OVER the container of ice cream, not directly on the surface. I know better, but I did it anyway. I wanted some nice ice cream swirls for the photo. Instead, I got a layer of ice crystals. I carefully pried off the paper-thin ice sheet, but you can still see the odd fleck of ice left behind. I was tempted to tell you they are sprinkles of flaky salt, but you might as well learn from my mistake.
As I said, I know better. For the Orange Dream No-Churn Ice Cream, I placed the plastic directly on the surface. Not a single ice crystal formed. Granted, it produced a few wrinkles and a flattened surface, but only the camera cares.
Chocolate Crackle
This ice cream gets a bit of a lift from chocolate crackles. This extra step adds mere minutes to the process. I simply melted dark chocolate, drizzled it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and froze it for 10 minutes. I then broke the pieces apart and stirred them into the base. Crackle is completely optional, but definitely worthy trying if you have some chocolate in the cupboard and a quarter-hour spare time.
why not use chocolate chips?
When we make this ice cream in my chocolate classes, someone always asks why I don’t just stir in chocolate chips. I could, and it would be faster. But the chips would become very hard and crunchy — and not in a pleasant way. Chocolate crackle is deliberately melted without being tempered, so it will remain soft at room temperature, yet produce a delicate crunch when suspended in cold ice cream.
what’s UNTEMPERED chocolate?
Properly tempered chocolate is smooth and shiny and snaps when you bite it. It doesn’t melt in your hand, unless you are very hot or hold it for a long time. I won’t go into detail about tempering chocolate here, but melting chocolate past a certain point without tempering it results in chocolate that will not set at room temperature, will melt the second you touch it, and will give way when you bite it. While this is disastrous for truffles, it’s perfect for ice cream. You get just enough crunch to provide texture but not so much you’ll break a tooth.
What if I want Chocolate chips?
If you want chips, not crackle, you can create your own tooth-friendly chips by making tiny dots instead of lines. Pour the melted chocolate into a ziplock bag and snip a tiny bit off the corner. You’ll be able to control the dots this way. It’s a bit labour intensive, but who am I to stop you?
Do I have to add crackle?
Not at all. You can make plain chocolate ice cream, add a Raspberry Ripple swirl, or fold in candied nuts. (I’ll post this next week). This is simply a base. Get as creative or minimalist as you choose. Just be sure to have plenty of napkins on hand. Homemade ice cream lacks stabilizers and melts more quickly than commercial versions. Then again, I think I eat it faster, so it all evens out in the end.
Shards of crunchy chocolate inside. A hit of flaky sea salt on the outside. This no-church chocolate ice cream is delicious all the way through.
Scale
Ingredients
Chocolate Crackle 5 ounces (140 g) chopped dark chocolate
Ice Cream 1 can (14 oz/300 mL) sweetened condensed milk 1/2 cup (50 g) cocoa powder 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla
Generous pinch fine salt 2 cups (500 ml) cold whipping cream (35%)
Flaky sea salt, optional
Instructions
Chocolate Crackle Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl over hot, not boiling water, stirring until smooth. Alternatively, melt in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave set on High, in 30-second bursts, stirring in between.
Using a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate in thin lines onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
Ice Cream In a large bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, cocoa powder, vanilla, and fine salt.
Whip the cream until firm peaks form, about 3 minutes. Fold about 1 cup of the whipped cream into the cocoa mixture to lighten in. Then fold the lightened mixture into the whipped cream, stirring until no streaks remain.
Remove the chocolate from the freezer and break or chop into small pieces, working quickly as the chocolate will melt. Add chocolate pieces to the ice cream and stir to distribute.
Pour into a chilled 9-by-5-loaf pan or freezer-safe container. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent ice crystals from forming. Freeze until thick and creamy, at least 6 hours, ideally overnight. Serve topped with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, if desired.
To serve, let sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes or let soften in the refrigerator for up to an hour. Return to freezer immediately after serving.
Notes
To speed up the chilling time, spoon the ice cream into small, single-serving cups. This can reduce freezing time to 2 hours.
