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Chocolate Cocoa Nib Ice Cream

5
/5
9 hrs 10 mins
13 Comments
Jump to Recipe
By: Rachel GurkPosted: 08/24/2012Updated: 06/15/2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Chocolate Cocoa Nib Ice Cream - this one is for the chocolate lover! Get the recipe on RachelCooks.com!

Chocolate cocoa nib ice cream is for chocolate lovers everywhere! The crunchy cocoa nibs are a unique and irresistible component of this ice cream.

Did you all know that Brandy of Nutmeg Nanny is throwing an ice cream social on her blog? All ice cream for two weeks! (She’s not a crazy lady like me–two weeks was a smart choice compared to my whole month of pancakes.)

When she asked me to participate, I immediately said yes. Partly because I’m pregnant and eat a lot of ice cream. Mostly because I love Brandy and her blog.

My next thought? “Oh, oh, I’ve never made ice cream!”

I put on my best can-do attitude and pulled the ice cream maker out of the closet and got to brainstorming ice cream recipes. I remembered that I had a pantry full of beautiful Scharffen Berger chocolate that would be just perfect in a decadent batch of ice cream.

This led me to Chocolate Cocoa Nib ice cream. It is creamy, rich, and has a nice crunch from the cocoa nibs. It’s also an egg-free recipe! I decided to start easy for my first ice cream experience. It is still a bit labor-intensive but so, so worth it.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

Get the Recipe: Chocolate Cocoa Nib Ice Cream

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 55 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Additional Time: 8 hrs
Total Time: 9 hrs 10 mins
4 cups
Print Rate Recipe
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Chocolate cocoa nib ice cream is for chocolate lovers everywhere! The crunchy cocoa nibs are a unique and irresistible component of this ice cream.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 4 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup cocoa nibs

Instructions

  • Take 3 tablespoons of the whole milk and mix with the cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • In a medium-large saucepan (4 quart) over medium-high heat, heat the rest of the whole milk, heavy cream, evaporated milk, sugar, and corn syrup. Keep a close eye on this as you do not want it to boil over or burn.
  • When it comes to a tame boil, whisk in the cocoa powder. Cook at a moderate boil for approximately 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, give your cornstarch slurry a quick stir to make sure it is still blended. Whisk this slurry into the milk mixture and cook for another minute, stirring with a spatula until thickened.
  • Remove from heat. Stir in chopped chocolate and salt. Keep stirring until smooth and chocolate is melted. Stir in vanilla.
  • Transfer the mixture to a large shallow bowl. Submerge bowl in a larger bowl full of ice water. (I actually used the sink). Leave in the ice bath for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until completely cooled. You could also put it in the fridge overnight.
  • Pour mixture into ice cream maker and churn according to ice cream maker directions. (I churned for 25 minutes total.) Add in cocoa nibs for last five minutes of churning.
  • Move to freezer and freeze until solid. Mine needed to be frozen overnight to achieve a firm texture.

Notes

  • Adapted from David Lebovitz.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/2 cup, Calories: 333kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 46mg, Sodium: 125mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 32g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk
Did You Make This?Be sure to upload a photo & tag me at @RachelCooksBlog. I love seeing what you made!
Share A Photo! Tag on Insta Rate It
Verdict: This is an amazingly creamy, rich ice cream. I could have eaten it before it was completely frozen. It tastes like the best chocolate pudding ever.
Husband’s take: He’s totally a vanilla guy or vanilla with chocolate chips, however, he loves this! I could hardly believe it. He even said, “You know I would tell you if I didn’t like it.”
Changes I would make: None.
Difficulty: Time consuming, but not hard. And it is worth it.

This recipe was originally posted on Nutmeg Nanny.

 

*Sharffen Berger didn’t pay me to name drop. It’s good stuff.

 

Chocolate Cocoa Nib Ice Cream - this one is for the chocolate lover! Get the recipe on RachelCooks.com!

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  1. Debra says

    September 13, 2012 at 10:36 am

    That looks like chocolate heaven. :)

    Reply
  2. Erin @ Texanerin Baking says

    August 29, 2012 at 11:49 am

    Wow! It looks amazing. And your scoops are perfect looking! It looks so perfect it looks fake. But that’s a good thing. :)

    Reply
  3. LalaMoosh says

    August 28, 2012 at 2:41 am

    My husband works on various commercial ice cream makers, which led to his infatuation with all things ice cream & frozen treats (we have just about everything you can think of from a soft serve machine, to a 1 gallon batch freezer -which makes both ice cream & water ice- , a granita machine & what most know as the “slurpee” or FCB -frozen carbonated beverage- machines, as well as a waffle cone maker & too avoid writing a small novel, let’s just say that I could easily open up my own ice cream parlor) & I am baffled by this whole “egg free” thing as we have learned that TRUE ice cream doesn’t use eggs & recipes that do are actually known as “frozen custard.” From what we’ve learned, custard is more popular in the heartland or Mid-West of the USA & we basically never use any egg products in our ice cream recipes. Your chocolate nib ice cream looks yummy but lately I’ve been happy with fruit flavors (cantaloupe is freakin’ awesome, but make sure it’s the consistency of baby food for blending) & vanilla (made extra vanilla-y with a good bourbon vanilla extract & vanilla bean scrapings), but I’ll have to make some just to try it. The only ice cream flavor I can’t enjoy is coffee.

    Reply
  4. Lauren at Keep It Sweet says

    August 27, 2012 at 9:14 am

    So impressed that this was your first ice cream, it looks incredible!

    Reply
  5. Kathryn says

    August 26, 2012 at 9:41 pm

    This ice cream sounds amazing Rachel! Love the addition of cocoa nibs.

    Reply
  6. Emily @ Life on Food says

    August 26, 2012 at 7:10 pm

    I don’t need to be pregnant to want some of this…immediately. Looks fantastically chocolatey!

    Reply
  7. michelle says

    August 26, 2012 at 6:31 pm

    I’ve never made ice cream before either…. I need to get an ice cream maker STAT.

    Reply
  8. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says

    August 24, 2012 at 6:59 pm

    I’m an ice cream freak AND I have some good chocolate AND a brand new bag of organic cocoa nibs. Now all I need is to head over to NN and pick up this recipe. Definitely a win for me.

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      August 26, 2012 at 1:25 pm

      Hope you love it!

      Reply
  9. Laurie {Simply Scratch} says

    August 24, 2012 at 2:51 pm

    Cocoa nib perfection right hurrr! LOVE!

    Reply
  10. Averie @ Averie Cooks says

    August 24, 2012 at 2:31 pm

    you really really shouldn’t have outdone yourself like this – but so glad you did :)

    Reply
  11. Jamie @ Thrifty Veggie Mama says

    August 24, 2012 at 9:54 am

    This looks so delicious!!! I have cocoa nibs in my pantry and need to find some more ways to use them.

    Reply
  12. Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says

    August 24, 2012 at 7:45 am

    Oh…em…gee!! Heading over NOW! I love cocoa nibs!

    Reply

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